Improving Public Confidence in Birmingham

Ashley AmesResearch Director, Ipsos MORI

6635

2217

151312

1087

Issues facing Britain: Dec 2008

Base: 983 British adults 18+, 11th-16th Dec 2008

What would you say is the most important issue facing Britain today? What do you see as other important issues facing Britain today?

Unemployment

Economy

Crime/law and order

Inflation/prices

Education/Schools

Top mentions %

NHS

Race relations/immigration

Housing

Poverty/Inequality

Change since Nov ‘08

+4

-3

-1

0

-1

+1

+2

-1

Defence/Foreign Affairs/Terrorism

Source: Ipsos MORI Issues Index

0

0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

A steady rise in prominence of crime as key public issue over past 25 years

Year

Proportion citing crime/law and order as a key issue

19

13

22

17

25

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1998 2000 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07

Burglary Car crime Violent crime

…despite many falls in concern about specific crimes….

% very worried

Source: Nicholas, S., Kershaw, C. and Walker, A. (2007) Crime in England and Wales 2006/07 Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2nd Edition, Crown Copyright

Two-thirds agree British society is ‘broken’

35%

28%

7%

16%

11%

3%Strongly agree

Don’t know

Tend to disagree

Neither

To what extent do you agree or disagree that British society is broken?

Tend to agree

Strongly disagree

27%

63%

Agree

18-34 63%

35-54 61%

55+ 64%

ABC1 61%

C2DE 65%

Source: Ipsos MORI Political Monitor

Base: 1,017 British adults 18+, 12-14 September 2008

How well do we know “the public”?

What do the public think will reduce crime in Britain?

•Better parenting

Better discipline in schools

More constructive activities for young peopleCapital punishment for murder

•More police on the beat

Q Which two or three of these do you think would do most to reduce crime in Britain?

Base: Representative samples of British residents (c.2,000), 2004

19%

11%

57%

49%

46%

41%

24%

23%More effective programmes to change behaviour •Introducing a national

identity card

•More offenders in prison

??

What do the public think will reduce crime?

Better parenting

Better discipline in schools

More constructive activities for young peopleCapital punishment for murder

More police on the beat

Q Which two or three of these do you think would do most to reduce crime in Britain?

Base: Representative samples of British residents (c.2,000), 2004

19%

11%

57%

49%

46%

41%

24%

23%More effective programmes to change behaviourIntroducing a national identity card

More offenders in prison

42%

40%

12%3%

We love ASBOs

Strongly support

Strongly oppose 1%

Neither/nor

Tend to support

Tend to oppose

Q To what extent do you support or oppose the issuing of ASBOs to people responsible for anti-social behaviour?

Base: All respondents in England & Wales (1,857)

Don’t know 2%

0

39

0

46

Are ASBOs effective?

Stopping people from causing anti-social behaviour

% Effective % Not effective

Q To what extent do you think ASBOs are effective in…

Base: All who have at least heard of ASBOs (1,724)

35

39

53

46

Are ASBOs effective?

Stopping people from causing anti-social behaviour

% Effective % Not effective

Showing the local community that something is being done about anti-social behaviour

Q To what extent do you think ASBOs are effective in…

Base: All who have at least heard of ASBOs (1,724)

Do we ask the right questions?

Priorities for the Police

Response to 999 emergenciesTackling gun crime

Bringing offenders to justice

Investigating major crimes

Supporting work to counter terrorismTackling drug abuseMaking police more visible to the publicTackling burglary of homes

Base: All respondents (502)

Q20 How important do you think it is for xxx Police to focus resources on the following…?

60%47%

45%42%

34%31%

30%30%

29%28%

25%25%

23%16%

14%13%

% rating as ‘essential’

Tackling anti-social behaviourReducing robberyTackling domestic violenceDealing with problems cause by young peopleTackling racial discriminationHelping develop sense of community spiritImproving road safetyReducing vehicle crime

A new era with new measures …

How much would you agree or disagree that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter in this area?

But does it matter? Police and Councils not so different after all?

Q. Seek people’s views about crime/anti-social behaviour in local area?% Disagree % Agree

Base: 1,896 GB adults, 18+. Sept 2008. Source: Ipsos MORI

Police

Local Council

42

43

39

37

Police

Local Council

Q. Successfully dealing with crime/anti-social behaviour issues that matter?

30

37

42

35

Police

Local Council

Q. Keep people informed about how crime/anti-social behaviour is dealt with?

45

45

34

33

We can communicate, consult, engage, involve and empower

But what do residents want?

Need to understand the public point of view

Base: 1,896 GB adults, 18+. Sept 2008. Source: Ipsos MORI

Q Which of these statements comes closest to your own attitude towards how the Police and Local Council tackle anti-social behavior and crime in this area?

58%

16%

18%

Already involved (3%)

Want active involvement (3%)

Want more of a say

Want information (but no further involvement)

Don’t care(as long as they do job)

So what do journalists want?

1.36

1.21

1.14

1.11

0.96

0.82

0.79

0.75

0.32

-0.21

-0.21

Willingness to discuss issues

Open/honest relationship

Speedy response

Long-term relationship

Access to top staff

Regular personal contact

Pro-active attitude and actions

Advance warning of stories

Invitations to events

Newsworthy material

Regular press releases

Base: Ipsos MORI Journalists study 2007

Importance Score

- Perceived quality of press relations +

Base: Business & Financial Journalists (59), Summer 2005

Press relations and favourability-

F

avo

ura

bil

ity

to o

rgan

isat

ion

s

+

Line of “best fit”

What do people want to be told, and how?

How would people like to receive information about local policing?And how, if at all, would you like to be kept informed about progress made on neighbourhood policing priorities?

Police newsletter

From police via letter

Council newsletter

From police at a public meeting

From police via email

Local paper

In person from a PCSO/police officer

Police authority

Crime and policing representative

TOP MENTIONS

Base: 1,585 adults aged 15+ living in England and Wales; fieldwork 26-29 September 2008

38%

17%

16%

13%

10%

6%

6%

3%

3%

52

49

45

32

30

52%

49%

45%

32%

30%

% Very interested

Base: 1,000 residents living in the Hampshire Police Force area; fieldwork 28 th August to8th September 2008

Public interest in police informationThinking about the sort of information the police could give you, can you please tell me how interested you would be in receiving information about each of the following matters?

What is being done about crime and anti-social behaviour in your area

How much crime and anti-social behaviour there is in your area

Names and contact details of the safer neighbourhood policing team in your area

Who is in charge of policing in your area

How money is spent on policing in your area

Do we communicate the important things?

How to pay bills to the council

% Informed

How to complain to the council

What the council spends its money on

How and where to register to vote

Whether council is delivering on its promises

What standard of service you should expect

How you can get involved in local decision-making

What the council is doing to tackle anti-social behaviour in your local area

How well the council is performing

Base: Birmingham CC BVPI survey 2006

Q How well informed do you feel about each of the following?

More and more proof that direct communications work

1. From OCJR …

Positive impact on confidenceProportion saying they were confident that the CJS was effective in bringing people who commit crimes to justice

Source: http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/inform-persuade-remind.pdf

3430

3337

4540

46 48

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Any leaflet Postedthrough door

Handedpersonally

Handed withexplanation

Pre Post

2. From Surrey …

Impact of newsletters in East Surrey

Tandridge

Mole Valley

Reigate & Banstead

Confident in neighbourhood police

Mole Valley

Aware of neighbourhood officer/ teamTandridge

Reigate & Banstead

39%

53%42%

34%

Feel well informed about policing

Reigate & Banstead

Mole Valley

Tandridge

32%

41%38%

23%

38%

35%

75%

66%70%

58%

71%70%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Wave 1 Wave 2

%

What you say and how you say it

Be wary of …

“Crime has been reduced by xx%”

“This area is the safest it has been for xx years”

“You are less likely to be a victim now since xx”

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Remember …

Year

Proportion citing crime/law and order as a key issue

Keep it local, local, local

As well as localised …

Action-oriented

– What is being done?

– Is this tangible (ie how can people hold you to account?)

Visually stimulating

– Pictures / maps / photos / colour

Contact details

Distribution ideally by local PCSOs/neighbourhood teams

Fairly frequent (at least quarterly?)

Branding will vary depending on area

– eg in London “Metropolitan Police” has resonance, “Safer Neighbourhoods” does not

– No Jargon (partnerships take care!)

Kenneth Williams on Jackanory 1968

Real life stories are best…

Not some corporate “strategy”

How can people be engaged most effectively?

In favour of engagement, but don’t always do it

Support

82%

6%

12%

Base: All residents (1,021)

Yes, support

No, oppose

Don’t know/no opinion

Involvement

26%

54%

18%2%

Q And would you personally be interested in getting involved?

Yes

No

Depends

Don’t know

Source: All respondents who support the idea (835)

ONLY 2% TURNED UP!!

Q In principle, would you support or oppose extending Community Partnerships to other parts of the Borough?

In favour of engagement, but don’t always do it

Support

82%

6%

12%

Involvement

26%

54%

18%2%

Q In principle, would you support or oppose extending Community Partnerships to other parts of the Borough?

Q And would you personally be interested in getting involved?

Base: All residents (1,021)

Yes, support

No, oppose

Don’t know/no opinion

Yes

No

Depends

Don’t know

Source: All respondents who support the idea (835)

ONLY 2% TURNED UP!!

In your area …

How well are local meetings co-ordinated?

– Police/ local council / residents association / tenants association / etc

What follow-up do attendees receive?

– Can they see the benefit of attending / giving their views?

Is format / structure …

– Engaging for attendees?

– Engaging for facilitators?

– Tailored to ensure follow-up?

Your staff are key

50%

72%

Base: All contacting police in Public Contact survey

All satisfied with their contact with the police

% who rate police as good

Q Taking everything into account, would you say the police in your area do a good or a poor job?

All dissatisfied with their contact with the police

Customer service is critical

10%

10%

19%

24%

26%

26%

19%

49%

44%

28%

26%

24%

21%

32%

Advocacy for Criminal Justice System

Q. Which of these phrases best describes the way you would speak about the Criminal Justice System as a whole?

Overall

Police

Prisons

Magistrates’ courts

CPS

Crown court

Probation

-13

-34

-39

+2

-2

+5

-9

Net ± %% Be critical % Speak highly

Source: Ipsos MORI, 2006Base: Wave 4 All staff (junior and senior) within CJS agencies (2,402). Fieldwork: 1st June – 12th July 2006

33%

51%

38%

25% 25%20%

Advocacy - self fulfilling prophecy?

Overall Excellent Good Fair Weak Poor

%Strongly agree that they would speak highly of the authority to others outside the organisation

Base: All respondents (500). Fieldwork: 12th – 27th May 2005

Over to you ..

Your understanding of local residents

– Why are residents more negative than people in this room?

– What would make them more positive?

Your communications and engagement

– How could you improve their (positive) impact on the public?

Your people

– Are you using staff most effectively?

– What would make them stronger advocates?