Community policing in Cork - awareness, attitudes and correlates

Abstract

Understanding of, and attitudes towards community policing were examined by a questionnaire survey in Cork in 1984. At that time, half of the respondents felt that local crime was at least a "fairly serious" problem, but levels of awareness and understanding of the policing proposals were relatively low. When explained to them, most people were in favour of the scheme and about half were willing to participate. These attitudes were related to the respondents' personal characteristics, and to their perceptions and experience of crime. Residents of high-risk localities are less willing to participate than those of areas where crime is not seen as a serious problem.