Tekijät

• Police Departments of State Provincial Offices of Mainland Finland

Asiasanat

crime and security, crime victims, fear of crime, neighbourhoods, personal safety, police services, trust

Sisällön kuvaus

The survey charted Finnish opinion and experiences on policing, public safety and security, victimisation, and services in the neighbourhood. First, the respondents were asked whether certain factors diminishing the attractiveness of the neighbourhood (e.g. drug dealing, vandalism, drinking in public places) occurred in the area. They were asked how often they walk outside in the population centre of their municipality in the evenings or at night, how safe they felt walking outside in their neighbourhood or in the population centre of the municipality late at night during weekend, and how safe they felt alone at home after dark.

Views were probed on how serious a threat crime was in the neighbourhood. Experience of crime was investigated by asking whether the respondents had been victims of certain crimes (e.g. actual or attempted car or vehicle theft, housebreaking, other type of theft, violent robbery, threat of violence at work, domestic violence, rape) during the past three years, and where this had happened. Fear of crime was charted by asking how worried the respondents were about particular crimes (e.g. housebreaking, fire, traffic accident, rape or sexual harassment, being offered drugs, being threatened with violence) happening to them.

Experiences of the police were studied by asking whether the respondents had had contact with the police as crime victims, witnesses or suspects, while getting a driving licence or a new passport, or during traffic control. The respondents rated with a scale of 4-10 how well the police performed in its tasks (crime prevention, traffic control, handling domestic violence situations, solving crimes, etc.). They also rated how important various police services and tasks were. Worry over certain things happening to them or in general in the future (e.g. loneliness, financial difficulties, illness, cuts in health or police services, exclusion, international terrorism) was charted. Views on whether certain measures would increase the safety of the neighbourhood were studied. The respondents rated the services of the municipality, including care of persons with drug or alcohol problems, child care, youth services, road maintenance, environmental protection, etc. General trust in people and satisfaction with the neighbourhood were charted.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, education, employment status, type of accommodation, housing tenure, type of neighbourhood, number of children aged under 18 living at home, jurisdictional district, and province and region of residence.