Attitudes Towards Policing

Public Sector

This survey of the general public was conducted by MORI on behalf of The Sun. The survey looks at public attitudes towards the police and the policing service in general, with the results being released to coincide with the publication of a report into the Stephen Lawrence inquiry and the actions of the Metropolitan Police.

 

This survey of the general public was conducted by MORI on behalf of The Sun. The survey looks at public attitudes towards the police and the policing service in general, with the results being released to coincide with the publication of a report into the Stephen Lawrence inquiry and the actions of the Metropolitan Police.

MORI interviewed a total of 902 people by telephone between 19-21 February 1999. Of these, 802 were selected as a representative cross-section of the British public. A booster sample of 100 Black and Asian people were also interviewed.

The Black and Asian respondents (B/A) interviewed in the main sample have been added to the booster interviews to provide a total of 129.

  • 802 interviews conducted among adults aged 16+ throughout Great Britain.
  • Interviews conducted by telephone between 19-21 February 1999.
  • Data weighted to population profile.
  • Questions based on all respondents unless otherwise indicated.
  • An asterisk (*) denotes a finding of less than 0.5% but greater than zero.
  • Where figures do not add up to 100% this is due to computer rounding.
  • Figures below include results for Black & Asian respondents (129) and Sun readers (132).

Q1 Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way your area is policed?

  All B/A
  % %
Very satisfied 14 15
Fairly satisfied 55 55
Neither 6 10
Fairly dissatisfied 14 9
Very dissatisfied 7 9
Don't know 4 2

Q2-7 I am now going to read out a number of statements which some people have made about the police. Can you tell me whether you agree or disagree with each.

  Stronglyagree Tend toagree Neither/nor Tend to disagree Stronglydisagree Don'tknow
  % % % % % %
Q The police have inadequate resources to do their job
All 36 30 6 14 7 8
B/A 28 28 6 22 9 7
Sun 32 27 5 18 11 8
Q The police should do more to recruit women officers to the force
All 28 32 18 12 4 6
B/A 45 30 11 8 4 2
Sun 34 35 16 10 3 2
Women 29 34 16 12 3 7
Q The police should do more to recruit officers from ethnic minorities
All 36 37 10 8 3 6
B/A 69 19 4 3 2 2
Sun 35 40 6 11 3 5
Q I would have more confidence in the police if they were more accountable to the public
All 36 36 9 13 3 4
B/A 55 31 6 4 3 1
Sun 41 39 7 9 2 2
Q I feel I can trust the police
All 30 44 7 10 7 2
B/A 21 33 8 24 12 2
Sun 28 48 3 6 12 2
Q Most police officers are prejudiced against Black and Asian people
All 6 15 11 29 23 16
B/A 23 29 10 24 9 5
Sun 8 12 7 37 20 16

Q8 If you were a victim of a crime against your property, such as burglary, how confident would you be that the police would catch the offender?

Q9 And if you were a victim of a violent crime, such as mugging or assault, how confident would you be that the police would catch the offender?

  Crime against property Crime against person
  All B/A All B/A
  % % % %
Very confident 3 8 5 9
Fairly confident 22 26 42 36
Not very confident 45 37 35 35
Not at all confident 28 28 15 19
Don't know 2 2 3 2

Q10 I am now going to read out a number of characteristics that a police officer may have. Thinking about the police in your area, can you tell me whether you think that, on the whole, they are or are not ...

  All B/A
  Are Are not Are Are not
  % % % %
Honest 76 11 59 22
Racist 15 60 40 43
Compateant 80 11 64 25
Lazy 14 73 22 62
Sexist 19 55 25 45

Q11 I would now like to turn to the investigation into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Can you tell me how much, if anything, you have heard about this?

  All B/A Sun
  % % %
A great deal 29 40 21
A fair amount 41 38 36
Just a little 25 16 37
Nothing at all 5 7 6

Q12-15 Thinking now about the Stephen Lawrence case, can you tell me whether or not you agree or disagree with the following statements.

  Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither/nor Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don't know
  % % % % % %
Q The Stephen Lawrence case has made me less favourable towards the police
All 14 20 13 30 15 7
B/A 39 20 8 20 12 2
Sun 17 21 10 28 13 11
Q The police are learning from the mistakes made during the investigation into the murder of Stephen Lawrence
All 24 47 7 8 5 9
B/A 31 27 8 8 18 8
Sun 18 42 8 9 10 13
Q It should be possible for the police to take disciplinary action against officers who have retired
All 59 25 3 4 3 6
B/A 78 12 2 6 1 2
Sun 56 28 2 5 2 6
Q The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Paul Condon, should resign
All 12 16 13 22 19 19
B/A 33 9 8 25 13 12
Sun 13 17 13 23 14 20
London 14 17 11 27 26 6

Base for Stephen Lawrence questions: All who have heard about the investigation. (761)

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