If you see a crime occurring, etc, do you contact police? graph of japanese opinion[part 1] [part 2]

The Cabinet Office Japan recently released a survey into people’s thoughts about public safety in Japan. 3,000 people aged 20 or older were chosen by random, and between the 14th and 24th of December 1,795 of them, or 59.8%, took part in face-to-face interviews. Of those who did not participate, 124 had moved, 79 were on long-term absenses from home, 365 were not at home, 58 could not be found, 514 refused to participate, and 65 did not take part for other reasons. Demographically, 54.1% were female, 8.9% between 20 and 29, 15.0% between 30 and 39, 16.9% between 40 and 49, 21.9% between 50 and 59, 20.7% between 60 and 69, and 16.7% aged 70 or older.

The “gaijin hanzai” comment is related to the uproar regarding of widespread availability of a magazine playing on precisely the fears expressed in this survey.

I was surprised by the results in Q11 – my sterotypical image of the Japanese is that on the whole they would tend to help the police to the best of their efforts, but we see that they have reservations, especially if the crime is a relatively minor one that doesn’t involve family or friends.

Q7: How do you obtain information regarding crimes and public order? (Sample size=1,795, multiple answer)

Television, radio 95.5%
Newspapers 81.1%
Talking to friends and family 38.4%
Local government pamphlets 25.8%
Internet 21.6%
Magazines 11.6%
Police pamphlets 11.5%
Mobile phone site 4.5%
Other 0.3%
Don’t get any information 0.2%
Don’t know 0.1%

Q8: Do you think there is sufficent information offered by the police or local government regarding crime? (Sample size=1,795)

Sufficient information 3.6%
Somewhat sufficient information 25.6%
Somewhat insufficient information 49.7%
Insufficient information 19.3%
Don’t know 1.8%

Q9: What sort of information should be offered by the police or local government regarding crime? (Sample size=1,795, multiple answer)

Information regarding crimes occurring in the neighbourhood 62.2%
Information of the modus operandi of purse snatchers, etc 39.2%
Information on Neighbourhood Watch schemes and other volunteer activities 38.4%
Videos of murderers or violent thieves captured on security cameras 37.7%
Information on how to pass on information or otherwise how to co-operate with investigations 35.9%
Victim support group information 32.1%
Internet information security information 26.7%
Information on effective anti-crime goods 19.6%
Information on government-sponsored anti-crime events, etc 13.8%
Information regarding international terrorist organisations, etc, and their activities 12.9%
Other 0.4%
None in particular 2.6%
Don’t know 1.6%

Q10: If you see a crime occurring, or hear screams, etc, do you contact the police? (Sample size=1,795)

Always contact police 56.7%
Depending on circumstances, contact police (to SQ1, SQ2) 41.1%
Don’t contact police (to SQ2) 1.7%
Don’t know 0.5%

Q10SQ1: In what circumstances do you contact police? (Sample size=738, multiple answer)

When I see a murder or violent theft 78.3%
When a close friend or relative is a victim 77.6%
When I heard loud noises or screams in a familiar place 53.7%
When I see a suspicious character 27.8%
When close to a police station or police box (koban) 24.7%
When I have the time 11.4%
Other 0.3%
Don’t know 0.3%

Q10SQ2: Why do you not notify police (sometimes or always)? (Sample size=769, multiple answer)

Afraid of reprisals by criminals 33.6%
Someone else will contact them 21.2%
Bothersome having to speak to police later 17.6%
It’s nothing to do with me, don’t want to get involved 16.3%
Too busy with work, etc 10.8%
There’s no phone or other convenient means of contacting them 10.5%
Don’t know how to nofity them 10.0%
Awkward to approach police 6.9%
It won’t do any good 0.9%
Other 7.2%
Don’t know 14.6%

Q11: How would you cooperate with police regarding an incident? (Sample size=1,795)

Proactively cooperate 34.7%
Cooperate as required 61.9%
Not cooperate much (to SQ) 2.3%
Not cooperate at all (to SQ) 0.6%
Don’t know 0.4%

Q11SQ: Why would not cooperate with police? (Sample size=53, multiple answer)

Bothersome having to speak to police later 32.1%
It’s nothing to do with me, don’t want to get involved 28.3%
Afraid of reprisals by criminals 24.5%
Don’t know how it would be useful even if I cooperated 20.8%
Awkward to approach police 17.0%
Too busy with work, etc 7.5%
It won’t do any good 5.7%
Someone else will cooperate 1.9%
Other 7.5%
Don’t know 0.0%

Q12: What sorts of crimes should the police focus their effort upon? (Sample size=1,795, multiple answer)

Murders, violent robbery 63.6%
Abduction of children, etc 63.5%
Drunk-driving traffic accidents, hit-and-runs and other traffic dangers 61.6%
Violent assaults 53.7%
Housebreaking whilst owner at home 53.4%
Fraudulent sales or money-forwarding schemes 45.8%
Pick-pockets, purse snatching 39.4%
Groping or other sexual assaults 39.3%
Theft of or from motor vehicles 36.2%
Drug pushing, drug abuse 34.2%
Bosozoku bike gangs’ dangerous riding, noise pollution, etc 32.9%
Internet crime 32.8%
Stalking 29.5%
Illegal dumping and other environmental crimes 28.5%
Loan-sharking 28.1%
Gun owning, smuggling, selling, etc 23.9%
International terrorist organisations or other terrorists 21.6%
Other 0.6%
None in particular 1.6%
Don’t know 0.3%

Q13: What kinds of individuals or organisations should the police focus their effort upon? (Sample size=1,795, multiple answer)

Habitual criminals; thieves, etc 60.5%
Bosozoku or juvenile delinquent gangs 53.1%
Foreign crime gangs and illegal immigrants 51.1%
Yakusa and other organised crime 45.0%
Drug dealers or users 33.8%
International terrorist organisations or international terrorists 22.5%
Illegal businesses and other sex-related businesses 21.6%
Other 0.2%
None in particular 3.6%
Don’t know 1.3%

[part 1] [part 2]


1 Comment

Illegal immigrants no longer a major public order threat | 世論 What Japan Thinks · August 30, 2012 at 00:12

[…] the blame for Japan’s ills on foreigners, even when compared to the same survey three and six years […]

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