Humberside Police - protecting communities, targeting criminals

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some of the frequently asked question in relation to the local public confidence survey

Q: Why are we measuring in confidence?

It is vitally important to increase public confidence in police and other local agencies if crime and anti-social behaviour is to be tackled effectively and the public are to feel safer.  This is why, in the Policing Green Paper: From the Neighbourhood to the National: Policing Our Communities Together, the Government set an expectation that there will be a significant improvement in public confidence over the next three years. To achieve this goal, the Government has removed all top down targets bar one - to increase public confidence that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter locally. .

Q: Why do we need confidence data at a local area level?

There is now only one top down target on the police service - to increase the public’s confidence that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter locally.  The target is measured using the British Crime Survey (BCS), conducted by the Home Office, and whilst this survey can monitor progress at force level it cannot provide results at a more local level.  The Home Office is, therefore, supporting forces to carry out their own local surveys so they are aware of local variations in confidence and can use this information to, alongside local partners, more effectively deliver against the national/force target. In addition to helping forces identify the local areas that are progressing well or need further support, the survey results can be used to understand better what should increase public confidence which should inform local service delivery. The surveys will also help forces to engage with local people to find out their views on local policing and crime issues and ensure that the public have the richest possible picture of confidence in their area.

Q: What are the different surveys?

Different surveys are used to measure public confidence (in whether the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter locally) at different levels - the BCS, the Place survey (in England, Wales use a different survey called the Living in Wales Survey), and local surveys.  The target is measured at a national level and at force level using the BCS. Whilst the BCS can monitor progress at force level it cannot provide results below this level.  The Place survey is a national survey administered by local authorities which asks questions on public confidence at a local authority level using slightly different wording to the BCS. To date only one survey has been conducted, in 2008, with a further survey due in 2010. The Living in Wales Survey is conducted annually at local authority level. As neither the BCS nor the Place Survey provide forces or authorities with the necessary data for internal performance management, forces have been working to provide a measure of confidence based at a more local level.  The first data from these local surveys will be available in February 2010.

Q: Why do the surveys produce different results?

The different surveys that are used to measure public confidence have been designed to meet different needs and as a result are configured differently.  There are a number of factors that can explain why these surveys produce different results on public confidence. These factors include: question wording - variations in response between surveys may reflect questions having slightly different wording – and, survey method – such as face to face interviews, telephone interviews or postal surveys.  The important thing to note is that each survey has value in its own right – the results of the different surveys are not intended to be compared but are useful in highlighting different patters and trends in confidence.  Forces, authorities and local partnerships will therefore be using all the information available to understand the public’s confidence that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter locally.

Q: Why was money spent on this?

Although many forces were already conducting their own surveys, extra funding has been made available by the Home Office to ensure that all local confidence surveys meet a minimum quality standard.  This has helped ensure that that the public have the best possible picture of confidence in their local area.  Ensuring that all surveys share a minimum set of technical requirements also means that forces and authorities are able to make local comparisons at a more local level within their Force area, identify areas of weakness, and take remedial steps to improve performance, and to raise confidence that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues in their area. Prior to this funding some forces did not conduct local surveys, and there was variation in their quality amongst those that did.  The money was spent with the aim to raise standards around the monitoring of the only target and to ensure consistency across all forces.