Local Communities Call for More Detailed Crime Data

LONDON, October 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Results from an online survey released today show 90% of people are keen for the government to increase the amount of crime data available to them on the crime mapping website, http://www.police.uk.

The survey conducted by UpMyStreet (upmystreet.com) and run in partnership with the Home Office asked visitors to UpMyStreet to answer a number of questions about the crime data on the government's national crime mapping website.

Currently visitors to the Police.uk website can access street-level crime information online including burglary, vehicle theft and anti-social behaviour in England and Wales.  The UpMyStreet survey revealed that most people who responded were keen for more detailed data to be added.  

More than three quarters of respondents (76%) revealed that they would like specific information about drug dealing to be added to the site, 73% wanted more information about criminal damage and arson offences and 60% wanted to know about  sexual offences that had happened in their local area.

The survey revealed that the majority of respondents have a huge interest in local crime data with more than half (51%) looking at Police.uk for local crime information and 46% stating that they are interested and will look at the website in the future.  Only 3% of respondents revealed that they had no interest in local crime data at all.

When asked why crime data is becoming increasingly important to them, 61% of respondents revealed personal and family safety as being their top concern.  House prices and insurance premiums, and police accountability each rated at 34%, whilst 29% of respondents indicated that it was important to find out more about crime rates if they were considering moving to a new area.

Annabel McQueen, spokesperson for UpMyStreet said:

"This survey brings to light that Brits desire more detailed information about what is happening close to home.  We hope, with the help of the Home Office, that UpMyStreet will be able to provide them with more information they can digest at a local level to help them feel secure in their own homes in the future."

Nick Herbert, Minister for policing and criminal justice said:

"These results reveal the huge public appetite for this information.  Police.uk has kick-started a process of greater transparency and accountability in the criminal justice system and we are continuing on that journey to make even more information available.

"The government is keen to use feedback from local communities to build on the success of police.uk, which has received over 430 million hits since its launch.  We will very shortly be introducing a range of developments to provide the public with even more information about crime, policing and anti-social behaviour in their local area.

"By May next year, people will also able to use the website, not only to see information about what is happening on our streets, but crucially what happens after an incident occurs."

Respondents were also asked what they would do if their own street was revealed as a high crime spot area.  Just over a half (51%) of respondents revealed that they would take the basic step of installing a burglar alarm, 34% would join Neighbourhood Watch, and 30% would attend Police Beat Meetings.  14% of respondents revealed that they would not do anything different.

About UpMyStreet

UpMyStreet.com is one of the UK's leading home information and community websites. The heritage brand, launched in 1998, enables more than 1.5 million consumers to make key decisions about their home and local area every month.

By entering a postcode people can find out about their community, choose a new area to live, research property sales, crime statistics and schools, save money in and around their homes, and access local business and services. The addition of local events listings and community forums is helping people engage with their neighbourhoods even more.

UpMyStreet is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI), one of the leading developers of lifestyle content for the television and internet worldwide.

Find us on: http://www.upmystreet.com or join us on Facebook or follow us @UpMyStreet.

About Police.uk

Police.uk provides local communities with street-level crime and anti-social behaviour data and local policing information.  Since its launch in January 2011, the website has received over 430 million hits.

SOURCE UpMyStreet