Less than half of nationalists believe the Police Service of Northern Ireland is doing a good job, a survey found today.
According to the Perceptions of Crimestudy by the Northern Ireland Office, only 48 per cent of nationalists believed police were doing a good job, compared to 67 per cent of unionists.
Unionists were more likely to express confidence in the force and its accountability arrangements, and only 44 per cent of those asked were happy with the criminal justice system, the Northern Ireland Office’s study found.
Sinn Féin has criticised police for failing to tackle criminality in areas such as west Belfast, a charge the PSNI strongly denies.
Confidence in Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson was marginally higher among Catholics than Protestants. Other findings included:
Overall public confidence in the criminal justice system increased to 44 per cent from 39 per cent in 2004.
NIO Criminal Justice Minister Paul Goggins said: “Four out of five people express confidence in the police; however the research also shows that more needs to be done to reassure the public and we will not be complacent in the ongoing fight against criminality.
Other findings included:
- Three-quarters of those who responded felt crime levels in Northern Ireland had increased in the preceding two years, similar to that during the last survey in 2005 but lower than earlier years.
- Anti-social behaviour was more likely to be a concern in Belfast, among victims of crime and those living in rented housing.
PA