Research Approach
- Attitudes to crime, crime reduction and community safety in Northern
Ireland were investigated using a social survey approach, combining
findings from three Omnibus surveys (November 1998 and February and
May 1999), supplemented by available data from the Community Attitudes
Survey 6th Report 1999 and the Northern Ireland Crime Survey. Each survey
was conducted throughout Northern Ireland using a probability sample
drawn from the Valuation and Lands Agency list of private addresses.Research
Approach here
Main
Findings
The Criminal
Justice System in Northern Ireland
- The vast
majority of those surveyed (90%) agreed that the CJS needed to be responsible
to the public. Complaint systems, independent published inspections
and community liaison groups were the most frequently mentioned methods
for achieving accountability.
- There
is a relatively high level of confidence in the CJS in general but Catholics
tend to express less confidence than Protestants.
The Courts
in Northern Ireland
- Those
surveyed said that court visits (83%) and support facilities for witnesses
(94%) would be useful in reducing the stress of a court appearance as
a witness.
- Fear
of intimidation/retaliation was the major concern of both those prepared
to give evidence (96%) and those not prepared to give evidence (88%).
The Judiciary
in Northern Ireland
- Most
people though that the judiciary 'were out of touch' with what ordinary
people think.
- More
than half of those questioned (56%) thought that the judiciary should
be appointed from lawyers with long experience, while one in three thought
that they should start to train to become judges earlier in their careers.
- 77% of
people thought that juries (after direction from a judge) are best for
deciding questions of guilt in the Crown Court.
- In the
case of the magistrates' courts, the most popular option (42%) for deciding
cases was legally trained resident magistrates and lay magistrates sitting
together.
The Prosecution
Process in Northern Ireland
- The police
(39%) and an independent prosecutor (41%) enjoyed roughly equal levels
of support when those surveyed were asked who should decide whether
someone should be prosecuted in less serious criminal cases.
- Just
about one in three (34%) questioned knew that police officers act as
prosecutors in cases in magistrates' courts, and almost two in three
(61%) thought it appropriate for both police and lawyers to fulfil this
role.
Other
Criminal Justice Agencies in Northern Ireland
- Approximately
half (49%) of those surveyed stated that the police were 'in touch'
with what ordinary people thought. The corresponding figure for the
probation services was 38%.
- Less
than one in five of those questioned (16%) had ever been inside a prison
for any reason at all.
- Three
out of ten people (75%) agreed that in prison, offenders receive training
for jobs. A similar proportion though that offenders learn new ways
to commit crime whilst in prison (73%). Almost half thought that being
put in prison punishes offenders (47%) and slightly fewer (43%) believe
that offenders are helped to become law-abiding citizens whilst in prison.
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