Improving public confidence in the police: A review of the evidence

In 2008 the government published the green paper From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together which proposed a single target to monitor police performance. The target is to improve levels of public confidence that the police and local councils are dealing with the crime and anti-social behaviour issues that matter locally, as measured by the British Crime Survey.

Home Office Research Report 28 aims to provide guidance on how to improve confidence. It summarises the available literature and reviews local practice schemes with the potential for wider implementation. The interventions are classified into three categories: what works; what looks promising; and potential pitfalls. Interventions with most potential are: embedding neighbourhood policing; high quality community engagement; local communications/newsletters; and restorative justice.