Mumbai: The Ipsos global survey titled, attitudes to crime & law enforcement shows, urban Indians want govt to prioritise creating jobs and boosting the economy (49 per cent) over stopping or reducing crime (32 per cent) and protecting local citizens’ health and environment (27 per cent).  

Global citizens too had similar views of expecting their govt to focus on creating jobs and boosting the economy (50 per cent), over stopping or reducing crime (24 per cent) and protecting local citizens’ health and environment (27 per cent). Though in case of Chile (59 per cent) and Peru (55 per cent) more number of citizens expected their govt to prioritise stopping and reducing crime over everything else. Singapore (80 per cent) and Indonesia (77 per cent) had a vast majority of citizens exhorting their govt to prioritize creating jobs and boosting the economy over stopping and reducing crime or protecting citizens’ health or environment.

Further, the survey captured the perceptions of citizens on crime.

Views were divided on the state of crime and violence in the neighbourhood in the past 12 months: For urban Indians, 26 per cent said crime had increased, 37 per cent said it was the same, while 19 per cent said it had reduced. Chile (63 per cent) and Peru (62 per cent) had highest number of citizens claiming crime and violence had seen an uptick.  

Citizens were asked to provide their views on a host of law and order issues around their neighbourhood in the past 12 months and across the list of crimes, that were seen to fester and the Indian citizens who replied in the affirmative for issues were -  vandalism (26 per cent) (though India was placed lowest on this issue across all 31 markets); illicit drug consumption (28 per cent); burglaries (35 per cent); drug trafficking (27 per cent); violence against adult women (25 per cent); violence against adult men (26 per cent); gangs (25 per cent); violence against children and adolescents (27 per cent); and prostitution/ people prostituting themselves (23 per cent).

“For a market like India with large inequalities and the glaring divide between the haves and have nots, it is inevitable that crime is a harsh reality one lives with; and it takes more than a robust law and order system, vigilance and crackdown by the law enforcers. Onus also rests with the citizens in terms of being aware and cautious of potential dangers. Interestingly, jobs and the economy is taking precedence for citizens over law and orderin their expectation from the government,” stated Ipsos India CEO Amit Adarkar.

Confidence in law enforcement

A good law enforcement ecosystem is reassuring to citizens providing them both physical and mental peace. We assessed citizens on how confident they felt about law enforcement in their neighbourhood capturing views on different aspects. And interestingly more number of citizens were happy with the services rendered by law enforcers, in fairness, capability and effectiveness. For instance, 76 per cent Indian citizens said the law enforcers like the police in their neighbourhood was providing the same level of respect to all citizens; 76 per cent Indians were satisfied with the capability of the law enforcers in finding and arresting the correct criminal after a crime; 77 per cent citizens were satisfied with the ability of the law enforcers in stopping violent crimes from happening (India topped the global list on this attribute and the ability of our law enforcers);  and 77 per cent citizens were satisfied with law enforcers’ ability of stopping non-violent crimes like burglaries, thefts from happening.

“Among citizens, there is fear of breaking the law and its implications. Likewise, the police, lawyers are respected by those on the right side of the law but dreaded by those who flout law. They are embodied with power to prosecute, jail and fine the offenders. That itself is highly reassuring for citizens and a deterrent,” added Adarkar.  

The survey delved deeper to unravel the primary causes of crime and corruption. And the causes that came to light were alarming, at the same time addressable. Citizens felt the causes for crime and corruption were multitude, like, poverty and unemployment (50 per cent), drug and alcohol abuse (38 per cent), lack of education (34 per cent), corrupt political environment (31 per cent), ineffective law enforcement (20 per cent) and breakdown of traditional values (20 per cent).

“These factors are responsible for high crime rates; so apart from lifting the poor from their misery, the other factors cited that are fueling crime and corruption in our society should be addressed like unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, breakdown of traditional values,” stated Adarkar.    

The survey also captured views on what is right and whether breaking the law under some circumstances was acceptable.

At least six in ten urban Indians (60 per cent) held the view that citizens should always obey the law even when it interfered with their interest; 40 per cent on the contrary held the view that sometimes one must ignore the law to do the right thing.  

These are the findings of a 31-country Ipsos global advisor survey titled Attitudes on Crime and law enforcement survey that tracks how people around the world see crime playing out in their communities, what they want governments to do, and how much trust they have in law enforcement, among other trends etc.