NCJ Number
17902
Date Published
1970
Length
181 pages
Annotation
DESCRIPTIVE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY INTO THE ATTITUDES OF THE TORONTO PUBLIC TO CRIME AND THE POLICE.
Abstract
THE SURVEY WAS RESTRICTED TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AGED 18 AND OVER WHO HAD BEEN RESIDENT IN TORONTO FOR NOT LESS THAN TWO YEARS. INTERVIEWING WAS CARRIED OUT IN THE EARLY MONTHS OF 1969 AND A TOTAL OF 967 COMPLETE INTERVIEWS WERE OBTAINED. THE BASIS OF THE REPORT CONSISTS OF A SERIES OF 87 TABLES, EACH SHOWING THE RESPONSES OF THE WHOLE OR A PART OF THE SAMPLE TO A QUESTION OR SERIES OF QUESTIONS. ALONGSIDE THESE TABLES IS A COMMENTARY AIMED AT PROVIDING SOME BASIS FOR THEIR INTERPRETATION. THE AREAS COVERED IN THIS SURVEY INCLUDED THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF CRIME IN TORONTO, THE INCIDENCE OF CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION AMONG MEMBERS OF THE TORONTO PUBLIC, CAUSES AND CURES OF CRIME, POLICE WORK AS AN OCCUPATION, POLICE PERFORMANCES OF DUTIES, ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE POLICE, THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC, AND THE POLICE AND THE MEDIA. A SUMMARY HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE TEXT TOGETHER WITH A SECTION IN WHICH AN EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE BOTH TO BRING TOGETHER SOME OF THE MAIN FINDINGS AND TO RAISE SOME GENERAL POINTS CONCERNING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PUBLIC ON THE ONE HAND AND CRIME AND THE POLICE ON THE OTHER. THE AVERAGE MEMBER OF THE TORONTO PUBLIC WAS NOT UNDULY CONCERNED ABOUT BEING ATTACKED IN THE STREET OR HAVING HIS HOUSE BROKEN INTO AND ROBBED. HE ALSO HAD A FAIRLY SATISFACTORY IMAGE OF THE AVERAGE POLICEMAN, ASCRIBING TO HIM CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS CONSCIENTIOUSNESS, POLITENESS, AND INTELLIGENCE. NEARLY HALF OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SAMPLE WERE PREPARED TO GIVE FAIRLY GENERALIZED ASSENT TO THE FREE EXERCISE OF POLICE POWERS. A COPY OF THE INTERVIEW SCHEDULE APPEARS IN THE APPENDIX. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)