public perception survey 2011-2012 : perth and kinross

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Public Perception Survey 2011-12

Summary of Results Perth & Kinross Local Policing Area


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This report summarises the key findings for the Perth & Kinross Local Policing Area (LPA) from the 2011-12 Public Perception survey. It should be noted that 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 footnotes. Questionnaires

distributed Questionnaires

returned Response rate Confidence

interval 1 Perth & Kinross LPA

1296 432 33.3% +/-4%

2011-12 Result

%

%pp change compared to

2010-11 Q. Taking everything into account, how do you rate your neighbourhood as a place to live?

Very or fairly safe 93.7 � 0.7 A bit unsafe or very unsafe 6.3 � 0.7 Q. Do you think that the amount of crime in your neighbourhood has increased or decreased over the p ast year 2?

Decreased a lot or a little 11.6 � 2.5 Remained the same 58.2 � 9.7 Increased a lot or a little 30.2 � 7.2 Q. What one issue causes you most concern in your neighbourhood? (unprompted)

Antisocial behaviour 23.1 � 2.7 Dangerous/careless driving 18.4 � 6.8 Housebreaking 15.8 � 3.2 Other 12.3 � 1.9 Drug dealing or drug abuse 9.5 � 0.9 Alcohol related crime 9.5 � 0.2 Vandalism/graffiti 9.2 � 2.6 Motor vehicle crime 1.6 � 1.6 Assault 0.6 � 0.3 Robbery 0.0 No change

1 This means that we can be 95% confident that if asking the entire relevant population of Perth & Kinross LPA that between 37.3% (+4%) and 29.3% (-4%) of the population would provide the same answer. 2 It is important to note that for this question, 26.3% of all base respondents did not know whether crime had increased or decreased over the past year.

2011-12 Public Perception Survey Results (Perth & K inross)

CRIME IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD



2011-12 Result

%


2010-11 Q. What types of crimes/offences do you think are most common in your neighbourhood?

Antisocial behaviour 49.6 � 3.3 Vandalism/graffiti 35.9 � 0.6 Dangerous/careless driving 35.4 � 4.8 Alcohol related crime 26.6 � 0.4 Drug dealing or drug abuse 22.8 � 3.2 Housebreaking 16.9 � 2.2 Motor vehicle crime 13.1 � 3.8 No crime 11.9 � 3.5 Robbery 9.7 � 3.6 Assault 5.2 � 0.5 Other 2.1 No change Q. How concerned are you of becoming a victim of crime in your neighbourhood?

Not at all or not very concerned 70.3 � 1.4 Fairly concerned or very concerned 29.7 � 1.4 Q. What types of crime/offence are you most concer ned about becoming a victim of in your neighbourhood?

Housebreaking 49.2 � 10.2 Antisocial behaviour 44.8 � 2.8 Dangerous/careless driving 27.3 � 0.2 Robbery 22.3 � 3.4 Motor vehicle crime 21.6 � 4.5 Vandalism/graffiti 21.0 � 7.0 Alcohol related crime 17.6 � 2.2 Assault 11.0 � 2.4 Drug dealing or drug abuse 10.0 � 2.2 Other 0.9 � 0.3 Q. How safe do you feel walking alone in your neighbourhood… …During the day

Very or fairly safe 96.9 � 0.5 A bit unsafe or very unsafe 1.6 � 0.4 Do not go out 1.5 � 0.9 …After dark

Very or fairly safe 69.2 � 1.1 A bit unsafe or very unsafe 20.6 � 2.9 Do not go out 10.2 � 1.8 Q. Does a fear of crime ever prevent you from taki ng part in your everyday activities?

Yes 4.0 � 1.9 No 96.0 � 1.9



The following community policing questions were new to the 2011-12 Public Perception survey; however, the results from these questions will become increasingly enlightening in the future as the force rolls out its community policing model throughout the Tayside area.

2011-12 Result

%


2010-113 Q. Do you think that the current level of police p atrols in your neighbourhood is appropriate to your community needs 4?

Too much 0.0 - About right 48.6 - Too little 51.4 - Q. In general, when you see a police officer on pa trol in your neighbourhood, how does it make you feel?

Reassures me 73.1 - Has no effect 22.3 - Concerns me 4.6 - Q. Do you know any of the community officers who l ook after your neighbourhood?

Yes, by name 3.4 - Yes, by sight 4.4 - Yes, by name and sight 3.9 - No, but I know how to contact a community officer if I need to 15.7 - No, I know nothing about my community officers 72.5 - Q. In which ways would you prefer to be kept infor med about actions being taken by community officers in your neighbourhood?

Local newspapers 56.0 - Information at local shops or supermarkets 47.5 - Face to face updates from local officers 25.5 - Public meetings/community groups 25.5 - Information at libraries/community centres 17.5 - Local radio 14.5 - Community surgeries 11.5 - Tayside Police website 10.0 - Other 8.5 - Text messaging 7.0 - Social networking (eg Twitter, Facebook) 5.5 -

3 No comparative figures are available for 2010-11 as the Community Policing section was new to the 2011-12 survey. 4 It is important to note that for this question, 25.6% of all base respondents had no opinion as to whether the current level of police patrols in their neighbourhood was appropriate to their community needs.

COMMUNITY POLICING



Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with th e following statements relating to community policing in your neighbourhood?

2011-12 Result

%


2010-11

...Officers understand the issues that matter in my neighbourhood 5?

Strongly agree or agree 54.3 - Neither agree nor disagree 37.0 - Strongly disagree or disagree 8.7 -

...Officers are dealing with the issues that matter in my neighbourhood 6?

Strongly agree or agree 48.5 - Neither agree nor disagree 36.4 - Strongly disagree or disagree 15.2 - …I have confidence in the police in my neighbourhoo d7? Strongly agree or agree 60.2 - Neither agree nor disagree 28.6 - Strongly disagree or disagree 11.2 - Q. Taking everything into account, how good a job do you think the police in your neighbourhood are doing 8?

Very good or good 61.9 - Fair 30.3 - Very poor or poor 7.7 -

5 It is important to note that for this question, 30.7% of all base respondents did not know whether officers understood the issues that matter in their neighbourhood. 6 It is important to note that for this question, 33.0% of all base respondents did not know whether officers were dealing with the issues that matter in their neighbourhood. 7 It is important to note that for this question, 18.3% of all base respondents did not know whether they had confidence in the police in their neighbourhood. 8 It is important to note that for this question, 22.1% of all base respondents had no opinion as to how good a job the police were doing in their neighbourhood.



Q. Results of how important and how well you perce ive Tayside Police performs each of the following activities… 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. The previous year’s results (’10) are also included in the chart for comparison purposes:

The above chart indicates that the public’s perception of a number of activities performed by officers in Perth & Kinross LPA 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. It is disappointing to note the downturn in the public’s perceptions of Perth & Kinross LPA’s performance for the majority of activities in 2011-12 (’11) when compared with the commensurate period the previous year.

SERVICE DELIVERY

Priorities for Improvement Organisational Strengths

Long term areas for Improvement Hidden Opportunities



Further examination of the data in the form of key driver analysis was undertaken to explore the factors which correlated most highly with public confidence in the police (Q. I have confidence in the police in my neighbourhood). The results are illustrated in the table below with green representing a large correlation (most impact) and red (small correlation – least impact).

Agree that police are doing a good job in neighbourhood 0.766 Agree that officers are dealing with the issues that matter in neighbourhood

0.678

Agree that officers understand the issues that matter in neighbourhood

0.624

Agree that the neighbourhood is a safe place to live 0.280

I have confidence in the police in my neighbourhood

Feel safe walking alone in the neighbourhood after dark* 0.166 *Whilst the top four correlations were significant at the 0.01 level (this means that there is a one percent chance that the result was accidental), feelings of safety after dark were significant at the 0.05 level (a five percent chance that the result was accidental).

From the top 5 factors which correlated most highly with public confidence in the police in the Perth & Kinross Local Policing Area, it can be seen that three out of five have a large correlation and two have a small correlation. It is interesting to note that the large correlations can be linked to the theme of police effectiveness in dealing with crime and the small correlations with feelings of safety in the neighbourhood.

Performance and Planning Department Headquarters Tayside Police

West Bell Street Dundee DD1 9JU

Telephone: 01382 596711

Email: [email protected] k

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public perception survey 2011-2012 : perth and kinross

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