Summary/Findings - Rebuilding Trust and Delivering Safer Communities: New Polling Shows the Public Want to See Meaningful Police Reform

This article opens by setting the context for why the Institute believes the principle of policing by consent is at risk: the deterioration of performance standards, the challenge from crime becoming more complex, the solving of fewer crimes, fewer offenders being charged and brought to justice, and public confidence being at an “all time low”.

The Institute commissioned a survey to determine the public’s opinion of policing in the UK. 1,576 British adults (terminology used by the Institute) were interviewed online in April 2023, with the data being weighted to be representative of the British population as a whole.

The findings of the survey have been summarised into different categories:
1. Trust in Policing: Whilst the majority of respondents continue to trust the police (55%), the police are now less trusted than social services and the courts/legal system. This is explained in the paper as a new development.
2. Concern About Crime: 45% of the public say crime is either “a very big” or “quite a big” problem in their area (with this rate being 44% in Scotland). Individuals were most worried about knife crime (18%), followed by online fraud (16%).
3. Experience and Reporting of Crime: The results showed that one in five individuals in the UK have experienced crime in the past 12 months, with men reporting at a higher rate than women (27% and 13% respectively). In addition, the survey found 41% of people who experienced crime did not report to the police or other relevant authorities. When disaggregated by gender, this equated to 44% of women and 40% of men. In addition, those who report a crime are likely to be dissatisfied with the response received – this was highest amongst the “baby boomer” category (the oldest age cohort of participants - *please note that the age range was not specified).
4. What the Public Would like to See from Their Local Police: This area was the most substantive aspect of the survey results:

According to respondents, “answering 999 calls rapidly” is the most important function requiring good performance (94% of respondents), with 19% of respondents believing this is actually being performed badly. This was followed by “officers should be approachable, friendly and professional” and “victims being kept informed on the progress of their case”, with both being found by 91% of respondents to be important. Respectively, 19% and 27% believed that these two aspects of policing are being performed badly.

In addition, 51% of respondents said the police are “less visible and approachable” than in the past. This rate was 49% in Scotland.

The survey next asked respondents to consider prioritisation. Whilst 40% believed that policing should focus on the most harmful offences, such as violence, 37% were of the view that police should respond to every incident/report

5. What the Public Think About Police Powers: The majority of respondents support the increased police powers to collect DNA including from those who are charged, rather than only those who are convicted (84%), and for the police to have increased powers to tackle online crime (84%). Furthermore, whilst the majority of participants were not in favour of police having the ability to trace online messages back to individuals (55%), 52% were in favour of reforms to end anonymity online, and 53% were in favour of the rollout of a system of digital identification system to reduce fraud.
6. Restoring Trust: The first aspect of this section was in relation to rebuilding trust in police. The most chosen response was better vetting of candidates who wish to join the police (31%). Finally, the survey asked participants to consider what the government’s priority should be to address issues in the wider Criminal Justice System, with the highest number of respondents opting for “tougher punishments in the community as an alternative to prison” (31%).