New research has revealed a big decrease in the fear of crime in the London borough of Islington over the last 30 years.
A study carried out by criminologists at the University found residents surveyed in 2016 had an increased sense of safety and satisfaction, compared to those questioned in 1986.
Although crime does remain an issue, only 13% of respondents in the latest survey felt it was a major problem – compared to 37% thirty years ago.
The Kent criminologists, led by Professor Roger Matthews, designed the survey to enable residents to give their views on policing and safety as well as record any experience they may have had of victimisation.
This replicated a landmark study carried out 30 years ago. Although the surveys employed different sampling strategies and a revised set of questions, the overlap allowed researchers to identify changes over the past three decades.
Other key findings included:
• Co-operation and satisfaction with the police has improved considerably. In 1986 only 43% of respondents said that that they were satisfied with police performance. In 2016 it had increased to over 80%
• The 1986 survey reported very high levels of physical and sexual assault against women. Although women are still concerned about crime and still engage in different forms of avoidance behaviour all the indications are that they feel safer on the streets both day and night. However, violence against women seems to be increasing particularly in relation to rape and domestic abuse
• In relation to ethnicity there has been a radical change in the level of victimisation of those categorised as ‘Black’. In 1986 Black respondents reported the highest level of victimisation for all offences and for assault they were twice as likely to be victimised as their White and Asian counterparts. In 2016 their level of victimisation is lower than those classified as ‘White British’ except for hate crime
• The ethnic population in Islington has changed considerably with an influx of ‘White Other’ mainly coming from Europe. They tend to have a low victimisation rate, a high level of satisfaction with the neighbourhood and a high level of satisfaction with police performance
• In relation to the distribution of crime there appears to be a degree of levelling out of victimisation across different social groups and between owner occupiers, private rentals and public rentals
The study, entitled An Analysis of the Changing Nature of Urban Crime and Victimisation: Focus on Islington, was authored by Professor Roger Matthews, Helen Johnson and Kerry Lee of the University’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research.