Report Summary
This series of articles is based on research commissioned by the Tony Blair institute on how research demonstrates the need for “a new era of invention and innovation, based on radical-yet-practical ideas and genuine reforms that embrace the tech revolution”.
The reports look at public polling on policing, the case for reform of policing and the case to reform the wider criminal justice system.
Whilst the initial polling is based on a UK-wide cohort, the cases for reform are based upon England and Wales only.
Previous Oversight by the Authority
- Bi-annual polling is undertaken by the Diffley Partnership on behalf of the Authority. This is regularly reported to the Policing Performance Committee (PPC), with the most recent update presented in September 2023. The Authority website also has a page summarising all previously reported polling. This includes ad-hoc polling, and the use of Police Scotland polling data.
- In November 2023, the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) 2021/22 findings were published by the Scottish Government. Some of the findings within the survey included:
- There has been a further drop in the proportion of respondents saying that the police are doing an excellent or good job overall. This has fallen to 49% and has been in decline since a high of 63% reported back in 2012/13.
- The majority of people report not having had any contact with the police in the last 12 months. Among those who have had direct contact (whether reporting a crime, being questioned or searched, contact through work, or being approached by the policing carrying out enquiries), satisfaction levels remain high. 93% of people say that they were dealt with in a polite manner, 85% say they were treated fairly, 67% say that the police took an appropriate amount of interest in what the respondents had to say, and 60% say that overall they were satisfied with how the police handled the matter.
- The Authority have included input to the Your Police Stakeholder Group.
- COSLA have regular involvement at PPC to give a voice to local issues/concerns.
- In addition, the Authority and Police Scotland’s Community Confidence Action Research Project to co-develop initiatives with local communities to improve confidence in policing. The project regularly publishes its findings, and the project is due to conclude in April 2024.
- The Policing in a Digital World Programme presented an update in June 2023 to PPC. This programme aims to transform the Police Scotland response to cybercrime. Of particular relevance to these publications, this programme focuses on an improved victim experience and to prevent the engagement of vulnerable individuals in cybercrime.
- HMICS, HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland and the Care Inspectorate presented the Joint Review – Diversion from prosecution to PPC in June 2023.