Satisfaction gap between white and BME victims of crime

Report: 6
Date: 11 March 2010
By: AC Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

The purpose of this report is to provide an update regarding the satisfaction gap between white and black and minority ethnic (BME) victims of crime reported to the SOP in September 2009. The report provides background information regarding the satisfaction gap and details the work currently being undertaken by the MPS to reduce the gap.

A. Recommendation

That members note the content of this report and progress being made to narrow the satisfaction gap between white and BME victims of crime.

B. Supporting information

General performance on the BME satisfaction gap

1. The User Satisfaction Survey (USS) (formerly known as the Crime Victim Survey) measures victim satisfaction with the service received from the police. Results demonstrate that nationally, white victims of crime generally express higher levels of satisfaction with the service received from the police. At a national level the satisfaction gap currently stands at 5.9% for data up to September 2009.

2. MPS performance over the same period stands at a 5.1% gap for October 08 - September 09 [1]. Within the MPS, the satisfaction gap has remained consistent at around the 5% mark over the previous 3 years and places the MPS second within its most similar group.

Figure 1: White / BME gap for MPS

3. Confidence intervals are factored into the survey data to allow for errors in sampling. The gap has increased by 0.4% which is not statistically significant and is within the margins allowed by the confidence intervals.

4. Enquiries with colleagues from West Midlands, Greater Manchester & West Yorkshire have revealed that no specific activity is being targeted to improve BME satisfaction. There are ongoing programmes focusing on improving overall victim satisfaction via existing initiatives and staff development, similar to MPS activity regarding the policing pledge, victims code of practice and witness charter.

5. The sample size of the USS at the BOCU level is typically 600 - 650 victims per year. Due to the weighting system, where by each of the five victim groups contribute an equal amount to the reported score regardless of base size, BOCU data is subject to large changes from quarter to quarter. Consequently BOCU data for this measure is not robust enough to use for comparison.

Type of offence and satisfaction

6. As previously reported the white/ BME satisfaction gap is not consistent across victim groups. Burglary and vehicle crime continue to show the widest satisfaction gap. There is also a smaller, but statistically significant, gap between white and BME victims of violent crime. This is illustrated in the figure 2.

Figure 2 White / BME satisfaction by victim group (Jan 09 – Dec 09 data)

7. Violent crime and vehicle crime remain the offences with the lowest BME satisfaction. However, the largest disparities between white and BME satisfaction is the burglary and vehicle crime groups.

Summary of current knowledge on the satisfaction gap

8. Analysis of the USS continues to indicate that the key behaviours that drive victim satisfaction in general, are treating crime seriously, being supportive and sympathetic, being visited in a timely fashion and being perceived to make some form of investigation. Updates regarding additional the contributors of method of contact & victim age are detailed below. Greater explanation of these drivers and contributors are detailed within the previous paper of 3rd September 2009.

The method of police contact

9. A higher proportion of BME victims report their incident to police via a 999 call or visit to the front counter. These reporting methods have a lower level of satisfaction and the latest data is illustrated in figure 3.

Figure 3. Contact method and satisfaction by White / BME group (Jan 09 – Dec 09 data)

Victim age and the satisfaction gap

10. Older victims report higher levels of satisfaction than younger victims. This pattern is strongly linked to the fact that younger victims report having a lower opinions of police prior to coming into contact with them as a victim, when compared to older victims. This general pattern is apparent across all ethnicities, but is particularly marked in BME groups. There are also a higher proportion of younger victims within the BME group. This means that this effect of younger people reporting lower levels of satisfaction has a bigger impact on this group. See figure 4.

Figure 4. Victim age by White / BME group (Jan 09 – Dec 09 data)

11. There has been little movement in these results since the SOP report submitted in September 2009. The only noticeable age group, though not statistically significant is a satisfaction rise in the under 25 BME age group which has risen by 2%.

Strategies to address and reduce the satisfaction gap

12. Recognising the need to address this issue, AC Mcpherson has tasked the Neighbourhood and Policing Partnership, under the leadership of Commander Bloomfield to write and consult on a customer strategy for the MPS. In the interim this paper provides an update on progress so far in understanding and responding to the issues.

Update on initiatives to improve service to all victims of crime including BME

Central Communications Command

13. The initial pilot across three MPS boroughs has now been extended to cover eight boroughs in total, spread across London, and so far the results have been very positive. Within the pilot boroughs there has been a significant reduction in the number of 'Immediate' calls, and a significant increase in the proportion of 'Extended' calls - as a result of victims beings offered the opportunity to report their crime at an appointed time that suits them. To date over 3,700 appointments have been made, and officers arrived at over 85% of them at the agreed time.

14. The feedback from participants so far has been overwhelmingly positive, but to provide independent evidence of improved satisfaction an additional 'booster' sample of the MPS User Satisfaction Survey has been commissioned, and results are expected to be available by the end of this financial year.

15. In addition, the significant improvements in both 'Immediate' and 'Significant' call response times means that CCC staff now have much more confidence in the time that they anticipate officers will take to attend a call, and as a result more and more promises made to the public are being kept, which can only help to improve levels of satisfaction amongst victims.

Front Counters

16. Lower levels of satisfaction are reported by victims who report their crime to the front counter of a police station with waiting times contributing towards dissatisfaction. As a greater proportion of BME victims attend police stations to report crime the improvement in service should impact on BME satisfaction.

17. Since the previous report to the SOP, the following activities have been undertaken.

• Inspections of Front Counter services are being conducted by the Central team; the outcome of these inspections is fed back to the borough Senior Management Team member for improvement and to address any issues raised.
• The public information point pilot continues with the most recent information point recently gone live at Oxford Street Plaza. The purpose of these terminals is to provide self help information and reporting facilities within buildings to alleviate queues and outside buildings to access services when closed.
• The central team has revised the MPS Internet site to make reporting of crime, access to forms and information more accessible to the public and to reduce the need to wait in busy front offices
• Boroughs are actively being encouraged to support front counter service delivery at staffed and unstaffed locations by utilising MPS volunteers to provide enhanced customer service.

Victim Focus Units (VFU)

18. Victims of crime report improved satisfaction the more they are kept updated and informed of developments in their case.

19. Performance for November 2009 is showing that 93% of victims are kept informed about the progress of their case on a monthly basis. TP Emerald is in the process of revising the role profile of the VPCSO to align it with the NPIA core principles. It is anticipated that this will bring additional contact, visibility & partnership working that will result in further improvements to the service provided to victims and witnesses.

20. Upon Home Office approval of this revision TP Emerald will seek to embed these further enhancements.

Justice Seen Justice Done

21. As part of the Policing Pledge to keep communities better informed all boroughs Safer Neighbourhood teams are now beginning to publicise court case outcomes on their ward internet pages.

22. By better informing the public of case outcomes it is anticipated that it will contribute towards increased confidence and satisfaction within the Criminal Justice Service.

Burglary initiatives

23. The Bumblebee media campaign was launched by the Commissioner on 19th October 2009 which has been highlighting key crime prevention messages particularly focused on the increase in burglaries on the run up to Christmas. The MPS website has been updated to feature Bumblebee information on its front page and provide practical crime prevention advice.

24. This campaign was further re-enforced during December by targeting communications to householders throughout London. This utilised both national and local press, as well as media and radio stations that are aimed at the BME community.

25. A core aim of the Bumblebee initiative is that all victims of burglary will receive a follow up visit from their local Safer Neighbourhood team. It is the intention of these visits to provide reassurance and practical advice to victims of crime. The Bumblebee crime prevention booklet is provided and is also supplied to surrounding neighbours.

Victim information booklets/packs

26. A contributing factor towards overall satisfaction is how well victims of crime are provided with practical assistance in relation to the crime they have experienced.

27. As previously reported, TP Emerald has been assisting in the production of the Bumblebee Crime Prevention booklet. These booklets are now distributed to victims of burglary and surrounding neighbour’s addresses by local Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Feedback will be sought and fed into the development of an MPS wide Victim Information booklet.

Victim Personal Statements (VPS)

28. The Witness and Victim Experience Survey (WAVES) informs us that 65% of victims who made a VPS felt there views were taken into account by the Criminal Justice Service. However there was variation in those victims who were offered the opportunity to make a VPS.

29. New guidance recently published by the Office of Criminal Justice Reform has now clarified this issue and now every victim of crime should be offered the opportunity to make a VPS.

30. From 18th January TP Emerald has started to hold a series of meetings with local borough leads to drive the awareness of the VPS scheme and seek to embed the offering of VPS into core investigative processes. This will include the distribution of guidance not only for investigators but victims of crime as well.

31. By successfully improving the knowledge of investigators and the opportunities victims have to describe the impact of crime, it is anticipated there will be further improvements in satisfaction.

Update on Initiatives to improve level of service to BME victims.

Victim of crime letters

32. All victims of crime should receive information regarding the decisions taken to investigate the matter further and update the victim with any developments. TP Emerald recently made further revisions to the content of the letter based on feedback from borough units and victims of crime.

33. It was previously reported that all victims of crime should receive information regarding the decisions taken to investigate the matter further and update the victim with any developments. TP Emerald was actively exploring other languages that these letters could be translated into before being made automatically available on the MPS Crime Recording System.

34. TP Emerald are now awaiting a response from our IT provider with an approximate costing to make these changes. This is expected in late January and once received TP Emerald will submit a formal IT change request. This change will allow the MPS to communicate initial investigative decisions in some of the main languages used in London, depended on IT capability.

Stop and Search

35. As reported earlier, the experience of stop and search particularly in young and BME people can affect their perception and opinion of the police.

36. A Stop and Search Road show took place in Newham in October 2009. To progress this in other parts of London it is proposed to utilize Met -Track (Met-track aims to encourage young people to engage in sport, presenting it as the healthy alternative in life for those who would not necessarily otherwise get the opportunity - potentially steering them away from anti-social behaviour and offending).

37. Operation Pennant (stop and search performance monitoring) meets bi-monthly and has representatives from the Black Police Association and the Community Monitoring Network. Boroughs are questioned about their stop and search activity including disproportionality. Similarly the Stop and Search Strategic Group made up of representatives from various organizations/groups are currently looking at stop and search complaints and their outcomes.

38. Numerous and varied stop and search community engagement and liaison activities have taken place across the MPS during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2009. Engagement tactics include:

• Engagement through the BPA with VOYAGE Programme (Voice of Youth & Genuine Empowerment) and their Young Leaders for Safer Cities BTEC Course. This work involved engagement with young black persons from tier 1 knife crime boroughs to ascertain their opinions and gain their confidence in relation to Operation Blunt 2 stop and search tactics
• MarThe MPS have funded a programme called "Watch Over Me" a comprehensive programme for all Secondary Schools across London, for use by the schools to look at risk awareness around a whole raft of issues relevant to young people. One such area is Stop and Search. Within the package there are lesson plans for both teachers and police officers around stop and search.
• MarYoung Advisors engaging with police during training sessions in Southwark and Waltham Forest

Youth Strategy

39. The youth engagement activities are linked to improving young people's confidence in police.

40. A further report entitled “Main Findings of the Tribal evaluation of the MPS Youth Engagement Activities and subsequent next steps” is due to be submitted to the MPA SOP meeting on 4th February 2010. This report will detail progress made against the MPS Youth Strategy.

Assessing the impact of interventions made and planned

41. Further research has been instructed to better understand why the gap exists. Additional questions have been added to the User Satisfaction Survey that attempt to establish whether there are other cultural and community factors that affect satisfaction. This will explore socio economic circumstances, prior contact with police and the primary language of the victim.

42. It is recognised that to increase overall satisfaction levels for victims of crime it will take sustained commitment over time to deliver a quality of service that meets victim’s needs and expectations and that this improvement may not become evident for several sampling periods.

C. Race and equality impact

44. This paper is entirely focused on understanding issues of disproportionality in relation to victim satisfaction and the strategies in place to address this. It is based on the analytical evidence of specific issues that contribute towards the overall levels of satisfaction and confidence.

45. The aims of this strategy will focus on delivering efficient and effective strategic operational policing services that are fair and clearly responsive to the diverse needs of the people we serve. It will seek to do this by improving workforce representation, improving service delivery and community engagement.

D. Financial implications

46. The development of new awareness materials will involve a development and production cost, new customer strategy will be fully costed and these materials will be included in those costs. At this stage they are born within existing TP budgets.

E. Legal implications

No legal implications are noted.

F. Background papers

None

G. Contact details

Report author: Alan Catlin TP Emerald, Michael Keenan SRAU, MPS.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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