Crime rate down but Filipinos still feel unsafe in their neighborhoods

MANILA, Philippines – The number of Filipinos who said they were victims of common crimes in the past six months fell to a record low, even as neighborhood fears about unsafe streets, drug addicts and burglaries lingered, the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed.

The Fourth Quarter 2014 Social Weather Survey, conducted in the last week of November and first reported in BusinessWorld, found some 4 million respondents (6.7 percent) saying they or a family member had been victimized by common crimes like pickpocketing or robbery of personal property, break-ins, car theft or physical violence in the past six months.

Respondents were asked: “We would like to know your experiences and those of other family members residing here regarding crime. In the past 6 months, have you or any member of your family been a victim of: Pick-pocketing/robbery of personal property; Break-in at respondent’s residence; Carnapping; Physical violence? If yes, how many times?”

Equivalent to an average of 12 crimes for every 10 victimized families, the latest figure was less than the 7.9 percent—an estimated 4.7 million who said they or their family members were victimized by either property-related or violent crimes—posted during the previous survey in September.

These figures brought the 2014 average for common crime victimization to 7.5 percent (4.5 million), a record low. The new annual average is also less than the 2013 average of 8.5 percent.

The survey also found 6.2 percent (3.7 million families) saying they fell victim to property crimes in particular, down from 7.1 percent (4.2 million families) in the previous quarter. This brought the annual average property crime victimization to a record-low 7 percent (4.2 million), down from the previous record of 8.1 percent in 2013.

The survey found 5 percent (estimated 3 million families) saying their families were victimized by pickpockets in the last quarter of 2014, bringing the yearend average to 5.4 percent (3.2 million, down from 6.1 percent in 2013), whereas 2.3 percent (1.4 million families) reported experiencing break-ins at their homes during the previous six months, bringing the 2014 average to 2.5 percent (1.5 million, unmoved from 2013).

Less than 1 percent reported experiencing car theft (0.7 percent) and physical violence (0.7 percent) in the last quarter of 2014.

However, apprehensions about neighborhood security lingered, with around one in every two families still worried about burglaries, unsafe streets and the presence of drug addicts in their neighborhoods.

Fifty-eight percent agreed with the statement, “In this neighborhood, people are usually afraid that robbers might break into their houses,” while 52 percent also shared the sentiment, “In this neighborhood there are already very many people addicted to banned drugs.”

Nearly half (48 percent) agreed with the statement, “In this neighborhood, people are usually afraid to walk in the street at night because it is not safe.”

These figures brought the 2014 average to 59 percent for fear of burglary (from 60 percent in 2013), 49 percent for fear of unsafe streets (from 48 percent), and 52 percent for fear of drug addicts (up five points from 47 percent in the previous year).

The survey, conducted from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, used face-to-face interviews with 1,800 respondents. It had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 percentage points.  Inquirer Research