Summary of Findings
Youth volunteers were asked to select the statements which best represented their views of the police before and after joining PSYV [see chart below].
The proportion of respondents agreeing with the police being helpful and friendly to young people increased by 33.4% after joining PSYV.
A significant improvement in attitudes is also recorded in response to the statement ‘police listen and respond to the views of young people’ which was agreed to by 17.5% of respondents before joining PSYV rising to more than half (50.9%) after joining PSYV (<33.4%).
The statement ‘police will help you if you need them’ had the second highest level of agreement from 63.2% of respondents after joining PSYV. However, 70.2% of respondents agreed with this same statement before joining PSYV (>7%).
Although the statement ‘police treat young people the same as adults’ is agreed with least by respondents both before and after joining PSYV, the level of agreement improves by 26.3% (from 10% before to 36.8% after joining PSYV).
Another improvement is marked by more than half (50.9%) of youth respondents agreeing with the statement ‘police understand young people's problems in the area’ after joining PSYV (<29.8%). Here is one example:
“Now I have joined the PSYV I can see why police officers may do certain thing whereas before I thought they were just doing it because they could. Also, they are very willing to engage with young people and hear what they have to say.”
Attitudes towards the police were more positive after joining PSYV