Quantitative measurement of attitudes of citizens towards the cost, convenience and success of surveillance in the reduction, detection and/or prosecution of crimes

Explore European citizens’ attitudes towards surveillance systems and procedures based on beliefs about benefits – such as usefulness, convenience, efficiency, security – and economic and social costs.

Objectives

To determine citizens’ acceptance/non-acceptance of surveillance systems and procedures for fighting crime and terrorism.

Partners

P1RuG, P2UCLAN, P3UL, P4LSC, P5BBU, P6UiO, P7ULE, P8LIF, P9UU, P10UGOE, P11USFD, P12LUH, P14FMUNIBA, P15UoM, P16UNIVIE, P17MU, P18ECU, P19INTERPOL

Description of work

Task 11.1       Design of data collection instruments and web-based questionnaires

Data collection instruments that will be deployed in a web-based questionnaire will be designed to explore the awareness and attitudes of internet users towards the cost, convenience and success of surveillance in the reduction, detection and/or prosecution of crimes.

In particular, the following areas will be surveyed:

  • Users’ awareness of the existence of different types of surveillance systems in a variety of locations and circumstances;
  • Users’ awareness of the grounds given for the setting-up of surveillance systems;
  • Users’ awareness of common policies and practices identified in WP2-4;
  • Users’ beliefs about usefulness, convenience, efficiency, security, economic and social costs of:
    • CCTV surveillance;
    • Surveillance utilizing data bases containing personal information;
    • online social-networking surveillance;
    • financial transaction surveillance;
    • RFID;
    • And any other method of surveillance identified in WP3

The questionnaire design will be submitted to the European Commission for comments and approval before the start of the survey activity, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

Task 11.2       Deployment of web-based questionnaire in all EU member states

The web-based questionnaire designed in the context of Task 11.1 will be translated into all official languages of the EU. . The questionnaire will be disseminated through open fora, groups and networks.

The questionnaire would also be published on the open internet and promoted through the websites of certain citizen and consumer organisations and online media in order to elicit responses.

Task 11.3       Drafting of country reports

In relation to each of the surveyed countries a country report will be prepared documenting the results of the survey.

Task 11.4       Preparation of synthesised questionnaire report

A synthesised questionnaire report will be prepared based on the data collected from each country surveyed.

Task 11.5       Preparation of list of key findings for further investigation

On the basis of data for all countries surveyed, a list of key findings for further investigation will be prepared. These key findings will be investigated further in WP12