Putting Our Houses in Order

Author(s): Katrina Lloyd and Lizanne Dowds
Document Type: Research Paper
Year: 2000
Publisher: ARK
Place of Publication: Belfast
Subject Area(s): Housing, Crime


Background to the Research

  • This briefing paper looks at the levels of crime and incivilities experienced by Housing Executive tenants and their willingness to report crimes to the police.

Research Approach

  • Analysis of data from the 1998 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey.

Main findings

  • Home-owners were much more likely to believe that there was less crime in their own areas compared with the rest of Northern Ireland - 76% thought so but only 55% of Housing Executive tenants felt the same.
  • Housing Executive tenants were about three times more likely than home-owners to say that graffiti, mugging and vandalism were common in their neighbourhoods.
  • 60% of Housing Executive tenants reported that "teenagers hanging around" was common in their areas compared with 25% of home-owners.
  • Nearly a third of Housing Executive tenants (31%) compared with 16% of home-owners said that they felt unsafe walking alone in their area after dark.
  • There is a reluctance among tenants from either community background to enter into direct contact with the police. If they witnessed a burglary, less than two-thirds of Housing Executive tenants would themselves report it directly to the police.
  • Over a fifth of both Catholic and Protestant tenants would not come forward to give evidence in court about a burglary that they had witnessed: and about three in ten would not give evidence in a hi-jacking case.

 


 

Home | About ORB | Contact


Disclaimer: © ORB 2001Monday, 31-May-2004 11:19