TV BLAMED FOR FUELLING PUBLIC FEAR OF CRIME

Study reveals many people are afraid in towns at night despite fall in
offences

REALISTIC police television dramas are fuelling public fear of crime
despite a general fall in the number of offences actually taking place, a
senior Scottish officer claimed yesterday.

Chief Superintendent Malcolm Dickson spoke out as a survey conducted by his
force revealed almost half of those who responded said they felt afraid in
towns at night.

Mr Dickson's claim that shows such as NYPD Blue were causing unnecessary
concern were backed by academics, who said that crime documentary
programmes were having the same effect.

Mr Dickson, who is co-ordinating the Partners Survey for Lothian and
Borders Police, said he was surprised by the result.

He said a number of television shows created in Britain and America
presented an unrealistic snapshot of crime levels, which the viewer often
regarded as fact because of the apparent authenticity of the production.

Mr Dickson said many people's perceptions of crime were formed from such
entertainment even though the fictional crime rates were far removed from
the situation facing the public.

He added: "These fictional police programmes are at odds with reality. They
have high production values but bear no resemblance to crime on the streets
of Lothian and Borders.

"We have a falling crime rate in the region, yet so far 49 per cent of the
people in this survey said they are unsafe in town after dark. That is not
a result I would have predicted."

Shows such as Channel 4's NYPD Blue, based in New York, and BBC 1's City
Central, set in a fictional town in the north of England, are huge hits
with television viewers and aim to portray police work as realistically as
possible.

Mr Dickson refused to identify individual programmes but said most people's
attitudes towards crime were shaped by television.

He said: "We are not saying this is wrong, or that these shows should be
taken off the air - that would be unrealistic of us - but we are up against
them in our effort to show people the reality is different from what they
see on television."

Mr Dickson said people appear to be commenting on the fear of crime rather
than crime itself.

"Our aim is to make people face up to these misconceptions by getting
information across to them about the real situation," he said.

Mr Dickson said the number of people who said they were unsafe in towns
after dark reflected the region as a whole and not just Edinburgh city centre.

Professor David Smith, a criminologist from Edinburgh University, said that
while he did not believe the number of police dramas had increased
significantly over the past decade, a new type of show was highlighting crime.

He said: "There has been a growth in shows promoted enthusiastically by the
police themselves which feature reconstructions and appeals for information
on specific crimes which has made people much more aware of crime."

The force plans to use the results of the survey, one of the biggest of its
kind carried out in Scotland with 7,000 questionnaires randomly issued to
households, to shape its strategy over the next three years.

Dr Peter Duff, a criminologist from Aberdeen University, said programmes
such as Crimewatch gave people heightened perceptions of crime rates.

"There is little doubt that crime rates have either been at a standstill or
coming down in recent years but the public has an inaccurate perception
they are living with a rising tide of crime and that is inaccurate."

Clare Connelly, of Glasgow School of Law, said: "Unfortunately as a culture
we seem to be entertained by the sensational and if you watch these kinds
of programmes then your perception of crime is likely to be shaped to some
degree by them."

The survey, which will be completed in October, shows the public wants
priority given to tackling muggings and street robbery, assaults and more
foot patrols in key areas.

Other areas where the public wants to see more action include
drink-driving, drug dealing, carrying offensive weapons and housebreaking.

Last month, Home Office figures showed Edinburgh had more homicides per
head of population than London. A study found the capital had 2.4 cases of
murder, infanticide or manslaughter per 100,000 inhabitants.

But the authorities claimed a victory against crime when 30 people were
caught carrying out criminal acts by CCTV cameras in the first month of
operation.

A total of 12 cameras were switched on by the City in View project which
aims to make the city centre safer.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski