Public Safety and Trust to the Police: the Results of Sociological-Criminological Survey of Public Opinion

Abstract

The results of public opinion of Kharkiv and Kharkiv region’s residents concerning public safety and trust to the police conducted by Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs in cooperation with the Main Department of the National Police in Kharkiv region in 2013 and 2016 are presented. The authors have analyzed a number of subjective and behavioral patterns, including: crime rate rise while its small pace; increase of crime rate in Kharkiv City compared to other settlements of the region; increase of crime fear; reduction in the city and increase in the region of those, who don’t leave their houses without having a need; increase both in the city and in the region of people, who take different security measures; a significant increase in the number of people, who carry self-defense means; advantage of passive safety measures among residents of the region and active – among city residents. The authors have analyzed the features of public opinion concerning the success of the police tasks assigned to it. There is a significant deterioration of all indicators related to the protection of public order in the regional police units on the background of general improvement; and there is an improvement in the city police units. There is an increase of the trust to the police in the city and a decline in the region, reduction of the fear to the police, and an increase the percentage of people, who faced its unlawful actions.