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Public Perception Survey 2010 Summary of Results Western Division
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2010 Public Perception Survey Results (Western) INTRODUCTION This report summarises the key findings for Western division from the 2010 Public Perception survey with comparative figures for the previous year shown in brackets where available1. In addition, the force result, which represents the average of the three divisional results, is included in blue square brackets for benchmarking purposes. For the majority of questions, the figures quoted are based on the ‘valid’ sample i.e. the percentage responding in a particular manner where the ‘don’t know’ responses are not included in the percentage calculation. However, when the proportion of respondents answering ‘don’t know’ to any question expressed out of all base respondents is 10% or more, this is commented on in the narrative. 1296 members of the public were randomly selected from the edited electoral register for Perth & Kinross and sent a questionnaire and freepost envelope to complete and return on a voluntary basis. Overall, 444 completed questionnaires were returned thus yielding a response rate of 34% (31%). The achieved response therefore indicates an overall confidence interval2 of approximately +/-4% within this division.
CRIME IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD Q. Taking everything into account, how do you rate your neighbourhood as a place to live? (NQ) Very or fairly safe 94% [90%]
A bit or very unsafe 6% [10%]
Over nine out of ten respondents, 94%, were satisfied that their neighbourhood within Western division was a safe place to live. This is the first time this question has been included in the Public Perception survey but will continue to be included for the foreseeable future as a means of monitoring public reassurance and feelings of safety in local communities.
Q. Do you think that the amount of crime in your neighbourhood has increased or decreased over the past year?* Decreased a lot or a little 9% (19%) [12%]
Remained the same 68% (60%) [59%]
Increased a lot or a little 23% (21%) [29%]
*It is important to note that for this question, 33% of all base respondents did not know whether crime had increased or decreased over the past year. Whilst the majority of respondents perceived that crime levels in their neighbourhood had remained static over the past year, actual crime figures for Western division indicated that recorded crime in a number of crime categories, in particular groups 1-4 and violent crime, was down an average of 3.5% compared to the results at the end of 2009. 1
Due to a number of new questions being included in the 2010 survey, no comparative figures for 2009 are available for these questions. The new questions are denoted by (NQ). 2 This means that we can be 95% confident that if asking the entire relevant population of Western division that between 38% (+4%) and 30% (-4%) of the population would provide the same answer.
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NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Q. What one issue causes you most concern in your neighbourhood? (NQ) Main issue Dangerous/reckless driving [Same]
nd
2 issue Antisocial behaviour (incl youths causing annoyance) [Same]
rd
3 issue Housebreaking [Drug dealing or drug abuse]
‘Dangerous/reckless driving’ was deemed the issue which caused most concern to respondents within Western division when asked to specify without prompting. This main finding correlates with concerns gleaned from local community meetings over the past year where ‘speeding’, ‘antisocial driving’ and ‘inconsiderate parking’ have been recurring themes.
Q. What, in your opinion, are the main factors that contribute most to the level of crime in your area? Main factor No respect for authority (no change) [Same]
nd
2 factor No parental control (no change) [Same]
rd
3 factor Alcohol (no change) [Drugs]
Public perceptions of the main factors which contributed most to levels of crime in local neighbourhoods remained consistent with the results from the previous year.
Q. What type of crimes/offences do you think are most common in your neighbourhood? (NQ) Most common Antisocial behaviour [Same]
nd
2 most common Dangerous/reckless driving [Vandalism/graffiti]
rd
3 most common Vandalism/graffiti [Dangerous/reckless driving]
In terms of ‘vandalism/graffiti’, actual crime figures indicated that recorded vandalisms in Western division fell by 9.0% in 2010 compared to the same time the previous year. In addition, the end of year result was lower than the best ever recorded in the previous 3 years.
Q. How concerned are you of becoming a victim of crime in your neighbourhood? Not at all concerned or not very concerned 72% (66%) [64%]
Fairly concerned or very concerned 28% (34%) [36%]
Almost three quarters of respondents, 72%, confirmed that they were ‘not at all’ or ‘not very concerned’ about becoming a victim of crime in their area. This result represents an improvement of six percentage points when compared to the 66% who provided the same response in 2009.
Q. What types of crimes/offences are you most concerned about becoming a victim of in your neighbourhood? (NQ) Most concern Antisocial behaviour [Same]
nd
2 most concern Housebreaking [Same]
rd
3 most concern Vandalism/graffiti [Same]
Whilst ‘dangerous/reckless driving’ was deemed to be the one issue which caused most concern to residents in their area when asked unprompted, results differed slightly when asked to specify what type of crime/offence they were most concerned about becoming a victim of whereby ‘antisocial behaviour’ was considered to cause most concern. Again, actual crime figures for the division indicated that although recorded vandalisms fell 9.0% compared to the previous year, recorded housebreakings witnessed a 14% increase in 2010 compared to 2009. Divisional results were not available for antisocial behaviour, however, at force level the number of recorded antisocial behaviour incidents with ‘disregard for community/personal wellbeing’ was down 2.9% from the previous year with ‘acts directed at people’ down 8.8%.
Q. How safe do you feel walking alone in your neighbourhood…? …During the day? Very safe or fairly safe 97% (95%) [96%]
A bit unsafe or very unsafe 2% (3%) [3%]
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Do not go out 1% (2%) [1%] 2
NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED …After dark? Very safe or fairly safe 68% (61%) [61%]
A bit unsafe or very unsafe 23% (29%) [30%]
Do not go out 9% (10%) [9%]
Clear improvements were evident within Western division in relation to the public’s feelings of safety walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark with a statistically significant improvement of seven percentage points recorded between the results for 2010 and 2009.
Q. Does a fear of crime ever prevent you from taking part in your everyday activities? Yes 2% (5%) [4%]
No 98% (95%) [96%]
A statistically significant improvement of three percentage points was returned in 2010 in terms of the public’s ability to undertake their everyday activities without fear of becoming a victim of crime.
Q. To what extent do you agree that the police, council and partner agencies are dealing with antisocial behaviour and crime issues that matter in your neighbourhood?* (NQ) Strongly or tend to agree 78% [74%]
Tend to or strongly disagree 22% [26%]
*It is important to note that for the above question, 26% of all base respondents did not know how police and partner agencies were dealing with antisocial behaviour and crime issues in their neighbourhood. This was a new question for the 2010 survey but will be included for the foreseeable future as a means of monitoring not only how the public perceive the police to be dealing with antisocial behaviour and crime issues in local neighbourhoods, but also the council and partner agencies who work in partnership with the police in dealing with these matters.
COMMUNITY POLICING The following community policing questions were new to the 2010 Public Perception survey but the results from these questions will become increasingly more enlightening in the future as the force rolls out its community policing model across the three territorial divisions.
Q. How often do you see a police officer… …Patrolling in your neighbourhood, either on foot or cycling? (NQ) At least once a week
About once a month
17% [17%]
9% [9%]
Less than once a month 19% [19%]
Never 55% [55%]
…Driving around your neighbourhood in a police vehicle? (NQ) At least once a week
About once a month
43% [46%]
18% [17%]
Less than once a month 23% [21%]
Never 16% [16%]
17% of respondents had seen a police officer patrolling in their neighbourhood either on foot or cycling at least once a month, however, this percentage increased considerably with regard to mobile patrols where almost half of respondents, 43%, had witnessed a police vehicle patrolling in their area.
Q. Thinking about the last time you saw an officer in your neighbourhood, what effect did it have on your confidence in your local police? (NQ) Increased my confidence 24% [27%]
Remained the same 74% [71%]
Reduced my confidence 2% [2%]
It would appear from the results above that for the majority of respondents, 74%, seeing a police officer in their neighbourhood had no effect on their confidence in their local police.
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NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED Q. Agreement with each statement relating to community policing in your neighbourhood (NQ) I know my community officer by sight
I know my community officer by name
9% [9%]
3% [6%]
I have spoken to a community officer in my neighbourhood 9% [9%]
I know how to contact a community officer if I need to 25% [24%]
Q. How confident are you that your community officers understand the issues that affect your neighbourhood?* (NQ) Very or fairly confident 62% [55%]
Not very or not at all confident 38% [45%]
*It is important to note that 44% of all base respondents for this question did not know how confident they were that community officers understood the issues that affected their neighbourhoods.
SERVICE DELIVERY Q. Results of how important and how well you perceive Tayside Police performs each of the following activities… (NQ) In this section of the survey, respondents were asked to rate a two part question in relation to: (a) how important it was that Tayside Police undertook certain activities and (b) how well Tayside Police performed those activities. The mean (average) was then calculated for both importance and performance for each activity and plotted on a matrix as detailed below:
Priorities for Improvement
Long Term Areas for Improvement
Organisational Strengths
Hidden Opportunities
The above chart indicates that the public’s perception of the majority of activities performed by officers in Western division fall within the ‘Organisational Strengths’ quadrant which signifies high importance and high performance. Conversely, the chart also suggests that the greatest disparity between performance and effectiveness exists in the ‘Priorities for Improvement’ quadrant (high importance and low performance). Consequently, this means that ‘providing a visible presence’ and ‘dealing with antisocial behaviour’ are the two areas of policing that the public perceive Tayside Police should improve going forward.
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COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION Q. It is important that the public are consulted about the way the police identify and tackle community issues in your area. How do you think this should be done? (NQ) st
1 choice Local meetings attended by officers [Same]
nd
2 choice Through community council representatives [Same]
rd
3 choice Public surveys [Police surgeries]
Q. Tayside Police provides information in a number of ways. How would you prefer to be kept informed about crime/police related issues in your area if all methods were available to you? (NQ) st
nd
1 choice Local newspapers [Same]
2 choice Local factsheet/newsletter [Same]
rd
3 choice Information at local shops [Same]
Q. Which sources of police information have you accessed over the past year? (NQ) st
1 choice Newspapers
nd
[Same]
2 choice None of the options [Same]
rd
3 choice Tayside Police website [Same]
Q. If you have not accessed any information regarding Tayside Police over the past year, please explain the reason why? (NQ) Had no reason to access information 74% [64%]
Do not know where to find information 10% [12%]
Do not know what information is available 16% [24%]
It was perhaps encouraging to note that almost three quarters of those respondents who had not accessed police information over the past year, had ‘had no reason to access information’ regarding Tayside Police and that this may have indicated that they lived in a relatively crime free area and had no real interest in police activity.
IMPRESSIONS OF TAYSIDE POLICE Q. Taking everything into account, how good a job do you think Tayside Police is doing? Very good or good 94% (95%) [91%]
Poor or very poor 6% (5%) [9%]
Public perceptions of how good a job officers within Western division were doing returned a minimal one percentage point reduction in 2010, falling to 94% from 95% the previous year.
WHO TO CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Performance and Planning Department Governance and Development Tayside Police West Bell Street Dundee DD1 9JU Telephone: 01382 596711 Email: performanceandplanning@tayside.pnn.police.uk
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