Closing the gaps – crime and public perceptions

Crime has been a major focus for the government over the past decade, with a raft of new legislation implemented since 1997. And this has given people a lot of what they asked for – there are more police and they are more visible, sentencing is tougher and there are more people in prison. Overall, crime has fallen significantly. But there are major gaps between these measurable facts and public perception. In particular the public still thinks that crime rates are soaring and the personal safety has declined – and they blame the government. This is a serious challenge, as we know that rating of competence on dealing with crime is a key driver of overall views of government, as well as citizens' quality of life. This report explores why the gap between actual crime and the perception of crime exists and considers what the government can do to improve public perceptions. Some issues are driven by the media and are beyond government control, but there are significant actions they can take. This is a particularly appropriate time to pull together our extensive evidence, given that the Home Secretary has published a new crime strategy, Sir Ronnie Flanagan has produced the report from his review of policing, and work is underway in government to build confidence and reduce fear of crime in local communities.