Younger females (16-24) in general and younger males and females (16-24) over the course of the pandemic

Younger females are more likely to consider that the police in their local area had been doing an ‘Excellent/Good’ job than older people in the SCJS 2016/17 – 2019/20. However, this trend reversed in the Authority surveys, with younger females (16-24) consistently becoming the least likely to state this view.

In particular, 16-24 females became substantially less likely to select this than the other age categories from phase 2 (May 2020). The Authority May 2020 rate for female (16-24) at 25% is the lowest rate anywhere in the dataset whilst the male (16-24) rate in the same survey was 45%.

Regarding males, the 25-34 category has had more significant fluctuations than other age categories. Additionally, males aged 16-24 have also consistently been amongst the most positive about policing performance in relation to other age categories. However, fluctuation was observed in the Authority surveys, with males aged 16-24 going from being the least likely to select ‘Excellent/Good’ in April 2020 to being amongst the most positive in May 2020 and October 2020, and falling again to least positive in February 2021.

In relation to the other age categories, the inverse was seen with positive views for males decreasing between April and May 2020, rising between May and October 2020, and rising again (or remaining the same) between October 2020 and February 2021.