Understanding Public Attitudes to Policing and the Criminal Justice System

The Home Office has recently published in-depth MORI findings on public confidence in the criminal justice system www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/r221.pdf -- pdf document, 120K

This research covers all aspects of the Criminal Justice System and has wide-ranging implications for all criminal justice agencies. Findings show how perceptions of local activity to combat crime differ from perceptions of action at a national level, with people being generally more confident about the way crime is dealt with locally. Findings are mixed when it comes to differences by ethnicity, although older people are consistently found to be more negative about the efforts of different agencies to counter crime.

The research identifies some of the key drivers of confidence in the CJS, including both attitudinal measures and exogenous factors. For example, whilst perceptions around the promptness and efficiency of the system and the success of the system in making people feel safe are highlighted as key predictors of confidence overall, so are factors relating to the area in which people live, such as the level of local deprivation.The research is an important addition to the growing body of information on crime, and highlights key areas for the CJS to focus on, in order to build confidence in the way crime is being dealt with in this country.

• www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/r221.pdf -- pdf document, 120K

Technical details

The survey, conducted by MORI's Crime and Policing Research Unit involved 2,001 telephone interviews with the general public, aged 16+ in England and Wales, between February and March 2003. An additional booster sample of 688 interviews were conducted with black and Asian residents.

For further information please contact Rhonda Wake or Ashley Ames on 020-7347 3000.