Crime and disabled people

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1 Crime and disabled people Nick Coleman, Wendy Sykes and Alison Walker Crime Surveys User Conference 6 December 2013

2 Background Project for EHRC looking at disabled people s experience of crime and of hate crime specifically. Builds on EHRC inquiry into disability related harassment and publications: 'Hidden in Plain Sight (2011) and 'A Manifesto for Change. Out in the Open: tackling disability related harassment (2012). Reports noted that: Disability related harassment is under reported and under estimated for a range of reasons There is a need for better data about the scale, severity and nature of disability harassment Nevertheless, data from crime surveys is available on disabled people's experiences of crime, disability hate crime, reporting of hate crime.

3 Increasingly high profile issue In many ways disability hate crime is the hate crime that has been overlooked. The criminal justice system must therefore change to provide an improved service for those with disabilities. Michael Fuller, Chief Inspector of the CPS Disability hate crime in all its forms is intolerable. It perpetuates segregation, creates fear and has no place in our society. Esther McVey, Minister for Disabled People Labour Party pledge to "change the law so hate crime against disabled people is treated like every other hate crime. Liam Byrne

4 Project aim Ensure a full set of baseline data for England and Wales and for Scotland in respect of six measures, together with follow up data that show change over time. 1. Number of victims of hate crimes 2. Proportion of disability related crime incidents reported to the police 3. Reasons why the police did not come to know about the matter 4. Satisfaction with police handling of crime incidents 5. Experience of any crime in the previous 12 months 6. Worry about being a victim of crime Measures 1 4 focus on disability hate crime; Measure 5 6 examine all crime experienced by disabled people.

5 What we did Analysed BCS/CSEW and SCJS data Combined 3 years of data to look at small sub groups, e.g. ethnicity within disability Adults in England and Wales: baseline data: 3 year period 2007/8 2009/10, then subsequent 3 year periods (2008/9 2010/11; 2009/ /12), to monitor change over time 10 15s in England and Wales: 3 year period 2009/ /12 Adults in Scotland: 3 year period 2008/9 2010/11

6 Definitions Crime: BCS crime. Disabled people: long standing health condition or disability which means that their day to day activities are limited; in line with harmonised classification of disability and 2011 Census. Disability hate crime: whether respondent thought that the incident was motivated by the offender s attitude towards any disability they had.

7 Experience of crime in previous 12 months, by age and disability % 8% 11% 12% 16% 27% 24% 21% 27% 21% 31% 32% 38% 41% No limiting disability/illness Limiting disability/illness Source: BCS/CSEW, 3 year period 2009/ /12

8 Experience of crime in previous 12 months, by age and disability % 8% 13% 16% 11% 12% 22% 27% 24% 21% 27% 21% 31% 32% 38% 41% No limiting disability/illness Limiting disability/illness Source: BCS/CSEW, 3 year period 2009/ /12

9 Disability and age However, disabled people as a whole were less likely than non disabled people to say they had experienced a crime (20% v 22%) This reflects the relationship between experience of crime, age and disability limiting disability experience crime 16 to to to to to to or over

10 Disability hate crime 63,000 incidents of disability hate crime per year 0.1 per cent of adults/households were the victims of disability hate crime per year 0.8 per cent were the victims of any type of hate crime Source: BCS/CSEW, 3 year period 2009/ /12

11 Proportion of crimes reported to the police Disability related incidents 58% Other identity related incidents 46% Incidents not motivated by identity 38% Source: BCS/CSEW, 3 year period 2009/ /12

12 Satisfaction with police handling of crime incidents Very/fairly satisfied Disability related incidents 58% Other identity related incidents 57% Incidents not motivated by identity 70% Base: All crime incidents reported to the police Source: BCS/CSEW, 3 year period 2009/ /12

13 How crime survey data helped Robust data on experience of crime and details of hate crime Crime survey data very good for comparing sub groups (e.g. disabled people) with population as a whole Large sample sizes to analyse by equality groups A lot of detailed questions and scope for further analysis

14 Limitations of the analysis Terminology and definitions Limited to BCS crime : only part of the crime and harassment experienced by disabled people; Coverage of hate crime and disability hate crime depends on how respondents perceive themselves and the crimes they have experienced Small numbers in sub groups (even when combining 3 years) e.g. no clear patterns by ethnicity and religion within disability Small numbers of respondents who have experienced disability hate crime Affects statistical confidence; harder to monitor changes over time

15 Further research questions Can we get a greater understanding of what underpins the findings (e.g. why lower satisfaction with police)? To what extent does experience of hate crime explain higher victimisation rates among disabled people? What is the wider picture beyond the BCS definitions; i.e. what falls outside of crime, how do these figures relate to the broader picture of harassment?