Focus groups and citizens panels

Report: 8
Date: 27 February 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report outlines the strengths and weaknesses, cost implications and initial methodology for internally and externally facilitated Focus Groups and Citizens’ Panels. In should be read in the context of the report on Consultative Arrangements in Greenwich as focus groups and citizens panels are options that may be explored in Greenwich and elsewhere as MPA consultative arrangements develop.

A. Recommendation

Members are asked to note the report.

B. Supporting information

1. One strand of work within the draft Consultation Strategy is to consider other consultation techniques. Focus Groups and Citizens Panels are included and the report at Appendix 1 is in response to an MPA request for a description of these techniques together with advantages, disadvantages and costs of each.

2. Appendix 2 contains performance comparisons of various consultation techniques.

C. Equality and diversity implications

In planning focus groups and a citizens’ panel it is essential that the GLA priority groups are included. This is essential to ensure that the representative sample of the population is indeed representative. Often the vulnerable and hard to reach groups who really need to have their views heard may not be included in a standard consultation process unless some work is done to recruit widely. This could include visiting areas where the homeless are known to reside, visiting community centres, contacting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender associations, visiting asylum centres and targeting minority ethnic communities.

D. Financial implications

Because there is no planned activity in these areas there is no immediate financial implication. The costs of such consultation activity are detailed in appendix 1.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Adele Murdoch – PIB 3 Research and Survey Unit, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Focus Groups and Citizens Panels

Focus Groups

A Focus Group study is “a carefully planned series of discussions designed to obtain perceptions on a defined area of interest in a permissive, non-threatening environment.” (R. A. Kreuger et al, 2000).

For the purpose of this paper, we have assumed that the Focus Group participants will comprise members of the public.

1. Strengths of Focus Groups

Attached in Appendix 2 is a table identifying the performance of various research methods and the score each method obtains on its success in achieving the aim identified. To summarise:

• They bring together one or more groups of people to discuss specific issues, led by a facilitator.
• Members can be chosen to provide a sample of those groups not adequately consulted by other means.
• The scope of the discussion is decided beforehand by the researchers, but is more free-flowing and less prescribed than the “question and answer” approach of surveys and citizen panels.
• They can provide the public with information on Policing.
• They can forge partnerships with the public.
• They can identify public priorities for immediate action and /or borough planning.
• The public can obtain information from the Police during the Focus Group (opportunity to ask questions).

2. Weaknesses of Focus Groups

• Focus Groups can occasionally be “led” or dominated by overly assertive participants. This can inhibit other participants. There are strategies available to facilitators to manage this. It is obviously important that all members of the group are given equal opportunity to speak.
• The hard to reach groups (e.g. ethnic minorities, homeless people) may be inhibited by the location of the Focus Group, if within a Police building. To overcome this selecting a neutral venue closer to these participants may be more appropriate. However, this may significantly raise costs.

3. Cost implications

Internally facilitated Focus Groups

• Consideration should be given to the resources required to manage the Focus Group procedure.
• At least two moderators will be required to hold each Focus Group and manage the selection and recruiting procedure. This may involve abstraction from other duties.
• A location will have to be established, this can be a police building or neutral location more convenient to the participants, however, a cost will be involved in hiring external buildings.
• There will also be costs for hiring or buying audio recording equipment and refreshments.
• An incentive may have to be offered to potential participants to ensure arrival e.g. lunch provided at NSY, £20 per participant etc. The incentive offered should vary depending on the composition of each Focus Group.

Externally facilitated Focus Groups

• The market research company who presently conduct the Public Attitude Survey, MVA Ltd, have proposed that the panellist’s Focus Group sample would be drawn from the current PAS data. The unit costs for each Focus Group (10 groups recruited), liaison with the MPS on development of the topic guide, recruitment of groups from the database, venue hire and incentives (£25 per attendee), moderating, analysis and reporting for each group is estimated at £1,500 unit cost.
• Costs per hard to reach group, including gay, lesbian, transgender, the homeless, refugees and asylum seekers is estimated at £1,900 unit cost.
• Further quotes can obviously be obtained from alternative companies, but we anticipate these costs to be typical.

4. Initial methodology for setting up Focus Groups

• The purpose of the focus group must be determined e.g. what is the purpose of the study? What kind of information is required? How will the information be used?
• Participants characteristics must be identified i.e. race, gender, age, occupation, level of education, area of residence, sexual orientation, and disability.
• The composition of the Focus Group must be organised i.e. there must be a common factor among the participants but enough variation to allow for contrasting opinions.
• The number of Focus Groups to be conducted must be determined. Usually three of four, however depending on the budget this can be extended until no new information is produced from the Focus Groups.
• The size of the Focus Group must be determined. Usually six to eight people, however this can vary depending on the nature of the study. More in-depth insights can be gained from smaller groups of four to six participants. If participants do not have a lot of knowledge about a topic, larger groups of eight to ten are recommended.
• Participants must be found. They can be sourced using a variety of methods including census data, screening selection services, random telephone screening and advertisements in newspapers.
• Participant selection must be random and participants must meet the original specifications of the group.
• Getting people to attend the focus group will increase if the time, date and location are specified early in advance and do not conflict with any popular activities or functions of the participants. Personal contact must be made initially, followed up with a confirmation letter and reminder phone call nearer to the date.

Citizens’ Panel

A Citizens’ Panel is a representative sample of local residents (between 750 - 2,500) and is used to consult the local population about the issues affecting them. It involves both surveys and small-scale qualitative research.

5. Strengths of a Citizens’ Panel

Attached in Appendix 2 is a table identifying the performance of various research methods and the score each method obtains on its success in achieving the aim identified.

• They can reach a wide representative cross section of the population regularly and quickly.
• They can identify public priorities for influencing annual policing plans.
• They can identify public priorities for immediate action and/or divisional plans.
• As members are signed up to the panel time and money is saved in the long term and response rates are generally high.
• Members are asked regular questions and over time gain an ability to continually think about policing matters and can therefore answer questions on an informed basis rather than on a gut reaction and recent experience.
• Detailed demographic data is held about respondents, trends and benchmarking data can be built up over time and future involvement in community partnerships may be secured.
• Focused surveys or Focus Groups may be conducted amongst particular sub groups e.g. elderly or hard to reach groups.

6. Weaknesses of a Citizens’ Panel

• Exclusivity of participant selection process.
• Consultation agenda determined by decision making body e.g. top down.
• Under-representation of hard to reach groups who refuse to participate.
• Panel members are vulnerable to sympathise with decision-makers over time.

7. Cost implications

Internally Facilitated Citizens’ Panel

• Consideration should be given to the resources required to manage the Citizens’ Panel recruitment, selection and maintenance.
• At least two people will be required to manage the selection and recruiting procedure. This may involve abstraction from other duties. The procedure for setting up the Citizen’s Panel can be time intensive.
• If detailed studies of sub groups of the Citizens’ Panel are to be undertaken the cost implications of Focus Groups may also apply.
• Different costs may be incurred depending on which method of recruiting is undertaken. If face-to-face recruiting is selected, additional staff will have to be recruited or abstracted from other duties.

Externally facilitated Citizens’ Panel

• MVA have estimated costs for setting up and maintaining a Citizens’ Panel using current data from the Public Attitude Survey. To set up a panel of 1,000 respondents using postal recruitment methods, management and refreshment of 1/3rd at the end of the first year would cost £12,000.
• There are a number of groups who will not be readily identifiable from the PAS data e.g. homeless people and the LGBT communities. MVA could contact these groups via other methods including street interviewing in targeted areas of London or conducting Focus Groups in shelters and refuges for the homeless.

8. Initial methodology for setting up a Citizens’ Panel

There are three methods of recruiting a Citizens’ Panel:

• Postal mail outs to a large number of residents e.g. 10,000 selected at random from the electoral register inviting them to take part. A 'representative' sample of 1,000 is then selected from those who reply. The response rate is usually 10% - 20%. This approach may yield fewer responses and the electoral register may under represent young people and ethnic minorities.
• Face-to-face recruitment involving in-home sampling and interviews with residents. Respondents are asked at the end of a short interview whether they are willing to be a panel member. Response rate is usually between 70% and 75% (MORI).
• Telephone recruitment of residents after they have been randomly sampled from the electoral register or via random selection of telephone numbers within postcodes approximating to the Metropolitan Police area. There is a risk of excluding residents that do not have a telephone or are not listed.

Appendix 2

The success of different research methods in achieving specific aims.

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