Why is this National Indicator important?
Fear of crime remains persistently high, despite recent falling levels of recorded crime. When the fear of crime becomes disproportionate to the reality, it can have a devastating effect on a person's sense of personal safety, lifestyle and quality of life. These effects can curtail social activities through an unwillingness to leave our own homes. They can increase stress, fear and anxiety. They can lead to an increase in household costs, for example, choosing a car or taxi instead of public transport or installing home security systems. They also prompt us to make less use of local amenities, leading to greater economic and social costs for local communities.
What will influence this National Indicator?
- There are a number of external factors which may significantly increase the fear of crime in the community, including:
- Media sensationalism when reporting crimes.
- Perceptions of vulnerability.
- Infirmity and limited mobility.
- Loneliness and social isolation.
- Disorderly surroundings such as litter, abandoned buildings/cars, graffiti and broken/barricaded windows.
- Disruptive behaviour such as rowdy youths, homeless people, beggars, drunks and inconsiderate neighbours.
What is the Government's role?
Our aim is to ensure that communities across Scotland know how to identify and access the services they need to make themselves feel safer. We want them to know how well services are working together. And we want them to know how the views of communities are being taken into account when priorities are being set. We are working with Chief Constables, Police Boards and local Community Safety Partnerships as part of our commitment to Scottish communities to tackle anti-social behaviour. We will encourage and support local agencies to work together in partnership to address all issues relating to community safety, including how communities can help themselves to secure a safer environment.
The heart of our vision for the Scottish police service is to ensure communities have a clear understanding of the levels of policing they have a right to expect, how it is being delivered, and how their views are taken into account. This means building capacity at the local level and this is clear in our commitment to make 1000 additional officers available in Scotland's communities. We are not only delivering on this but going substantially beyond, by also looking at recruitment, retention and redeployment. We are committed not only to recruitment, but to the retention of valued, experienced officers and the redeployment of officers to enhance operational policing.
How are we performing?
There has been an overall increase in the proportion of people responding to the Scottish Crime Survey who think that crime in their area has improved or stayed the same over the past two years. The latest overall figure was 65% for 2006, compared with 55% in 2003.
Source: Scottish Crime Surveys
Methodology
This evaluation is based on: any difference within +/- 1.0 percentage points of previous survey suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. An increase of 1.0 percentage points or more suggests the position is improving; whereas a decrease of 1.0 percentage points or more suggests the position is worsening.
For information on general methodological approach, please click here.
Further Information
2007 Spending Review Technical Note
Statistics Topic Page
Who are our supporting delivery partners?
Related Strategic Objectives
Wealthier and Fairer
Safer and Stronger