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The Young People's Safety Survey

Last year nearly 900 Ipswich teenagers aged between 13 and 15 years of age took part in a survey examining young people's experience of crime and, in particular, their fear of crime. The Young People's Safety Survey (YPSS) was conducted by Rachael Metson of the Community Safety Unit at Ipswich Borough Council, with the cooperation of pupils at Copleston, Holywells, Stoke, Thurleston High Schools and the Chantry Youth Forum.

Ipswich experiences a level of crime that is similar to other towns of a comparable size and nature, and the crime rate remains below the national average. Surprisingly then, the YPSS found that young people in Ipswich were significantly more concerned about being a victim of crime than other adults and young people were in the British Crime Survey. Furthermore, more young people in Ipswich felt unsafe on the streets when walking alone at night than other studies elsewhere have shown.

It is recognised that this fear of crime affects people's quality of life, and should be targeted like crime itself. 'Making Ipswich Safer' is a key priority of Ipswich Borough Council, and as part of the Ipswich Crime and Disorder Partnership, it is soon to publish the next Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy for the next three years. The information from the YPSS has been fed into this Strategy, and importantly work to reduce young people's fear of crime and increase their feelings of personal safety is underway. What is clear from the research is the need to investigate further how crime and the fear of crime affects

people in Ipswich, so that those agencies who are working together to tackle crime and disorder locally can understand its full impact and take action to address it.

In the next few months the Borough Council will undertake a larger survey of the adult population in Ipswich. The questionnaire will seek similar information regarding people's concerns about crime, and their feelings of safety both in the area where they live and in the town centre. What precautions do people take against crime? What would make them feel safer? Who has been a victim of crime in the last year? Should a questionnaire arrive on your doormat please take a look and give some time to complete it. The information you provide will help to identify ways of creating a safer community for everyone.

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