Victim satisfaction with police at historic low, survey suggests
The number of people reporting seeing officers regularly on the beat in their neighbourhood is also at its lowest level since records began while confidence in the criminal justice system is continuing to decline.
The findings have been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) using data from its long-running annual crime survey of people aged 16 and over.
Some 51% of survey respondents who had been a victim of crime in the 12 months to March 2025 said they were either very or fairly satisfied with how the police handled the matter.
This is down from 55% in the previous year and is the lowest figure since this question was first asked in 1992.
Satisfaction rose steadily between 2006/07 (58% of victims) and 2013/14 (a peak of 75%) but has since been on a general downward trend.
The ONS found differences in victim satisfaction by crime type, ranging from 62% in the latest survey for domestic burglary and 58% for violence, to 41% for bicycle theft and just 26% for theft from the person.
There were also differences by age, with victims aged 16 to 24 less likely to be satisfied with the police response (32%) compared with those aged 45 to 54 (61%), 65 to 74 (59%) and 75 and over (61%).
The proportion of incidents where the victim was satisfied with how the police dealt with the matter was higher when the offender was charged (95%) compared with when no action was taken (36%), and where the victim was kept informed by the police (77%) compared with where the victim was not kept informed well (19%).
On the topic of police visibility, 11% of respondents in the year to March reported seeing officers or community support officers on foot patrol in their local area once a week.
This is down from 12% in the previous year and is the lowest since this question was first asked in 2006/07, when it stood at 26%.
The figure peaked at 39% in both 2009/10 and 2010/11, since when it has been on a continued downward trend.
People living in urban areas were more likely to report high police visibility (13%) compared with rural areas (4%), while those aged 65 to 74 (5%) and 75 and over (7%) were less likely to report this compared with other age groups.
Some 49% of all respondents gave their local police a positive rating in 2024/25, unchanged on the previous 12 months but down from 62% a decade earlier in 2014/15.
This figure has been on a general downward trend in recent years, the ONS said.
People identifying as Asian (55%), black (55%) or other ethnic groups (57%) were more likely to rate their local police positively than those identifying as white (48%), while those who were aged 55 to 64 (44%) and 65 to 74 (43%) were less likely to provide a positive rating compared with other age groups.
When asked whether they were confident the criminal justice system as a whole was effective, 48% of survey respondents said they had confidence, down from 50% the previous year and the lowest figure since 2012/13.
Confidence rose from 38% in 2008/09 to peak at 54% in 2015/16, since when there has been a gradual decline.
People aged 16 to 24 were more likely to report being confident in the effectiveness of the criminal justice system (61%) than all other age groups, while people born in the UK were less likely to be confident (43%) than those born outside the country (65%).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tories deliberately trying to fuel hatred against asylum seekers, Yousaf says
The former first minister of Scotland has accused the Tories of 'deliberately trying to fuel hatred' against asylum seekers by presenting them as a threat to women and children. Humza Yousaf said politicians like Robert Jenrick were 'reviving the old colonial lie that people from the east are somehow dangerous savages'. Mr Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, has said he supports 'every peaceful protest outside an asylum hotel' and later attended one in Epping, where an asylum seeker was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Demonstrations against asylum seekers staying in hotels have sprung up across the UK, including in Scotland, with those attending claiming they are making their communities less safe. Mr Jenrick, who previously ran for the Tory leadership, said small boat crossings in the English Channel amounted to a 'national security emergency', adding: 'The truth is that mass, uncontrolled immigration has been fuelling crime and made women and girls less safe. ' In a video posted to social media, Mr Yousaf hit back at the Tory claims, saying it was 'predatory men' who posed a danger to women, rather than people from any one group, such as asylum seekers. He said: 'As a father of three girls, let me tell you that it's not asylum seekers I'm worried about when it comes to my daughter's safety – it's men, predatory men, who come in every colour, every religion, are from every background. 'Of course, those who do commit heinous crimes against women, be they asylum seekers or those who have lived in the UK for 10 generations, they should and must feel the full force of the law. 'But when you purposely single out asylum seekers, as the Tories are doing, you're not interested in protecting women, you're deliberately trying to fuel hatred. 'You're reviving the old colonial lie that people from the east are somehow dangerous savages.' The former SNP leader said such rhetoric has turned 'fear into mobs who are ready to set fire to hotels housing asylum seekers', in reference to a riot in Rotherham last year in which a man who attempted to set fire to an asylum hotel. 'It leads to bricks through windows,' he added. 'It leads to fire bombs aimed at vulnerable families who've already fled war and persecution. 'And here's the truth, violence against women is committed by men from every walk of life. 'Blaming asylum seekers doesn't make women safer, it just makes society more divided, more suspicious, more willing to turn on the most vulnerable. 'What the Tories are doing isn't about women's safety, it's about stoking fear. It's the oldest populist trick in the book, let's make sure we don't fall.' The Conservative Party has been approached for comment.
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Edinburgh locals on 'terrible' tragedy as man plunges to his death outside homes
Edinburgh New Town residents have spoken of their sorrow after a man sadly fell to his death from scaffolding. A major emergency service presence was spotted on the city's Dublin Street on Tuesday afternoon following reports a man had fallen, with the road closed off and a police tent erected. Sadly, the man was pronounced dead at the scene as police remained in the area until Wednesday morning to carry out inquiries. READ MORE: Tragedy as Edinburgh man dies 'falling from scaffolding' on New Town street READ MORE: Edinburgh van overturns and wall damaged after crash on busy road In the wake of tragedy, residents on the street have spoken of their sadness as they emerged from their homes after witnessing police and medics having swarmed the area. One resident said: "I haven't slept a wink, it's terrible. Tragic. It's quite a shock and I'm still trying to process it." Another heartbroken local commented: "I did notice you can see on the right hand side a bit is missing by the window on the right hand side. He was laying to the right of the scaffolding." "I saw the undertaker come. I came out of the front door not long after it happened. There was a line across the street and I looked up and you could see someone on the pavement. "Instantly I knew it didn't look good. It was terrible. A third local, Ian Brown, added: "We just came out yesterday morning and it was all cordoned off. It's appalling, it looked like he fell off the very top." Police confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 3pm on Tuesday, August 19, we received a report that a man had fallen on Dublin Street, Edinburgh. Emergency services attended and a man was pronounced dead at the scene. 'There are no suspicious circumstances. The Health and Safety Executive has been informed and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.' Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sadness as body found in search for County Durham man Dean Stewart
A body has been found in the search for missing Chester-le-Street man Dean Stewart. Thirty-five-year-old Dean was last seen on Monday, August 18 just before 11am crossing the road to the cycle path near the Pelton Buffs Social Club. While the search for Dean was ongoing, officers said they were 'increasingly concerned' for his welfare. Sadly, a body was found in the Pelton area on Wednesday afternoon which police officers believe to be Dean, although formal identification has not yet happened. Dean's death is not being treated as suspicious and his family have been informed about the body's discovery and are being supported by specialist officers at Durham Constabulary. Recommended reading Bishop Auckland LIVE: 999 crews descend on street as air ambulance lands after incident Heartbreaking tribute paid to 'ray of sunshine' Angela Lloyd after alleged murder Newton Aycliffe man caught with 8kg of drugs at petrol station worked for 'big fish' A spokesperson for Durham Police said: "We're very sorry to report that a body has been found in the search for Dean. "Sadly, the body of a man was recovered from the Pelton area this afternoon (August 20). "We would like to offer our thanks to Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team for their assistance during the search."
