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ICM POLL ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE

04.11.2011

“The recent ICM poll brings evidence to what IARS, the 99% campaign and the academic literature have claimed for years. Public perception of youth crime, levels of threat and issues of safety is in serious disagreement with the researched reality. Following the recent riots and the manner they were covered by media and politicians, the results of the ICM polls should come as no surprise.

The issue of public perception is not a phenomenon exclusive to the UK. For example, in the US while there is robust evidence from various independent sources (Puzzanchera et al 2010) indicating decreasing frequency of youthful harms in schools and the community, during similar time periods there is an increase in tougher legislation on “cracking down the growing youth violence problem” (Skiba and Peterson 2000; Demleitner 1999; Sprott 2003). Similarly, in Canada despite a decade of declining youth crime rates, polls consistently suggest that the public is highly anxious about youth crime (Roberts 2003).

Closer to home, the 99% campaign run by Independent Academic Research Studies (IARS) reported that 44% of the 1000 adults who were asked “How many young people do you think commit serious youth violence” answered between 5-20% of young people. 25% of those asked thought that over 50% of young people commit serious youth violence (IARS 2010). However, Metropolitan Police Service statistics show that 0,07% of young people commit this level of crime (IARS 2011).

We remain concerned that the dominant public perception creates chronic pressure on elected governments, the parliamentary, educational and justice institutions to react with a “get tough” mentality. IARS and its partners for the 99% campaign will continue to dispel stereotypes and through youth-led projects and research help address misconceptions and stereotypes that lead to fear and division within society and between generations”.

Dr. Theo Gavrielides, IARS Founder and Director