世論 What Japan Thinks

Nifty Research recently took a look at crime prevention.

Demographics

Between the 14th and 20th of February 2014 4,833 members of the Nifty monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. No detailed demographic information was provided.

I’ve not experienced any crime here in Japan (except getting a parking ticket once…), and I don’t take any particular anti-crime measures when out and about.

Note that in Q6, carrying pepper spray is illegal.

Research results

The first question was if people thought that their own personal awareness of crime prevention was high or not. The graph did not report direct numbers, but it did show that the over sixties had significantly higher crime awareness; over 10 percentage points more that the other age groups said their was high, about about 5 percentage points more that it was very high. However, for all age groups a small majority (from about 52% for the over sixties to 63% of the under 39s) rated themselves as average.

Q2: What causes your awareness of crime prevention to rise? (Sample size=4,833, top ten answers)

When someone living nearby is a victim of crime	52%
When someone close to me is a victim of crime	43%
When I am a victim of crime	36%
When I see a television program, magazine feature on crime	28%
When I have an expensive item, a large sum of money on my person	21%
When I see a suspicious-looking person in the neighbourhood	21%
When I go abroad	21%
When I buy a house, move house, etc	18%
When I attend a lecture, training on crime prevention	12%
When I have children	10%

Q3A: Have you ever been a victim of a housebreaking? (Sample size=4,833)

Yes, twice or more	2%
Yes, once	14%
No, never	84%

Q3B: Have you ever been a victim of a pickpocket, bag snatcher, etc? (Sample size=4,833)

Yes, twice or more	3%
Yes, once	15%
No, never	82%

Q4: What kind of door intercom do you have? (Sample size=4,833)

	Unmarried	Married
Simple doorbell only	33%	22%
Voice only	30%	31%
Voice and video	20%	30%
Recordable video	9%	14%
Other	8%	2%

The next question asked people what anti-crime measures they took. Overall, the over-sixties tended to take more measures, and the thirties and under the fewest. The two most popular with about 43% doing both were not letting post build up in their post box and making sure name and address information in letters and envelopes, etc were erased or shredded before throwing them out. About 20% to 30% used a door chain, etc, and a similar amount had harder-to-pick door locks. The next most popular measure was interesting, to try to make friends with the neighbours.

Q6: What crime prevention measures do you take when going out? (Sample size=4,833, multiple answers)

	Male	Female
Keep valuables out of sight	21%	32%
Don’t visit quiet streets	15%	40%
Keep bag underarm, etc, to make it difficult to steal	15%	38%
Carry bag on the wall side	10%	33%
Use a mobile phone with a GPS function	12%	15%
Put an anti-theft cover, net over bicycle basket	8%	19%
Use two or more locks, chains on bicycle	9%	9%
Carry a whistle	4%	8%
Carry an anti-crime buzzer, lamp, etc	3%	9%
Use a mobile phone anti-peeking filter	3%	6%
Carry mobile phone in hand ready to dial for help if needed	1%	4%
Learn self-defense	2%	1%
Carry pepper spray	1%	0%
Other	25	3%
Nothing in particular	49%	21%

Q7: When answering the phone at home, do you say your name before you know who it is? (Sample size=4,833)

Yes, immediately	21%
No, not until I know who it is	72%
Other	7%