Just 12.5 per cent of people in one nationalist area of Belfast think the PSNI is doing a good job in responding to crime, it was revealed today.
Fear of crime is increasing, with more people wary about leaving their homes at night than they were two years ago in the New Lodge area, the study by the Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the School of Law in Queen’s University Belfast found.
The study found that 52.6 per cent rate the PSNI’s response to crime in the area as very poor or fairly poor, and that 54.3 per cent felt the PSNI was not effective in tackling the issue of anti-social behaviour.
Just under 80 per cent of respondents said they were more cautious than two years ago about leaving their homes at night, and 62.4 per cent said they were more aware of rowdy behaviour in the streets.
On a more positive note, just over half - 51.9 per cent - of those questioned said they would contact the police directly about crime or anti-social behaviour, although there are still 22.7 per cent who said they would not make contact.
It is almost two years since Sinn Féin signed up to join the Policing Board and gave public support to policing.
The Queen’s study is one of the first to look at attitudes in a nationalist area since the Sinn Féin move.
PA