Background to the Research

• Findings are based on the fourth year of the Community Attitudes Survey (November 1995-October 1996), which aims to measure attitudes towards crime, policing and the courts.

Research Approach

• 2,302 interviews were obtained from a total sample of 3,360 addresses. One person aged 16 or over was selected at random to be interviewed. These results are based on the 2,019 respondents who identified their religious denomination as either Catholic or Protestant.
• Previous surveys had included questions on security matters which were seen to be irrelevant following the 1994 ceasefires.

Main Findings

• Respondents generally believed that crime was uncommon their area, and unlikely to happen to them.
• There has been an increase in the use of home security equipment, especially by Protestants. While Catholics were more likely to think that it was easier for a burglar to get into their home, there was no difference in the level of personal fear of burglary between both communities.
• Almost all respondents said that they would report an ordinary crime - 84% would use a phone to report a crime to the police.
• 33% of Protestants and 26% of Catholics had been in contact with the police during the previous year, but only 11% had been approached by police (except for routine security checks).
• 80% of respondents felt that the police were polite and helpful (79%), and 71% though that they dealt fairly with everyone
• 71% though that the police did a good job. Protestant respondents tended to be more positive towards the police.
• Over one third of respondents did not know who is responsible for looking into complaints against the police. Less than one quarter identified the Independent Commission for Police Complaints (ICPC).
• 2% said they would contact the ICPC to complain about a police officer in their area, although most respondents (especially Protestants) would complain directly to the police.
• Protestants were more likely than Catholics to have heard about the Police Citizen's Charter and the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, and to know that these were independent from the police.
• Most respondents felt there are too few Catholics in the police force. One quarter did not know the religious composition of the police.
• Respondents thought that Catholics may be deterred from joining the police because of fear of intimidation, not being able to maintain contact with family and friends, and pressure from other Catholics not to join.
• 89% though that it was important that people understood how the courts work. However, only 36% understand the court system very or quite well themselves.
• Nearly three quarters had confidence in the criminal justice system, although 91% agreed that guilty people are sometimes found innocent, and 83% thought that innocent people are sometimes found guilty.
• Most respondents thought that both Catholics and Protestants were treated equally by courts. For non-terrorist crimes, 19% of Catholics thought that Protestants were treated better, and 4% of Protestants thought that Catholics were treated better. For terrorist and other sectarian crimes, these figures are 35% and 8% respectively. 4% of Protestants thought that Protestants were treated better.
• 62% of respondents thought that penalties should be stiffer - 75% of Protestants thought this, compared with 40% of Catholics.
• 41% thought that criminals with a life sentence should spend the rest of their lives in prison (49% of Protestants and 28% of Catholics thought this.