“Public opinion polls are rather like children in a garden, digging things up all the time to see how they are growing.” – J.B. Priest l

Last week, we reviewed a few of the topics that were included in the survey results that emanated from a massive research project that was officially sanctioned by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) under the supervision of Vanderbilt University and funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The survey was conducted between June 17, 2014 and October 7, 2014 by Public Domain, a Bahamian market research and public opinion research firm.

In part 1 of this series, we summarized the methodology and the demographics employed by this survey. Unquestionably, this study constituted the most comprehensive survey ever undertaken in The Bahamas, both in terms of its sample size of 3,429 persons and scope of topics covered.

We noted that the survey addressed numerous topics involving, inter alia, participants’ perceptions of quality of life issues, performance of the government, the legislature, the judiciary, the economy, the Police, crime and punishment, the delivery of public health services and attitudes about our educational institutions. In addition, there were extensive questions regarding religion, same sex marriage, personal experience with victimization, bribery, spousal abuse and corporal punishment, as well as attitudes about the presence of gangs and gun ownership in our culture.

Last week, we briefly reviewed the survey results related to quality of life issues, governance, politics and the economy. To some people, the numbers in the results of a survey are just that: numbers. However, in this survey, the numbers represent living, breathing Bahamians and paint a vivid picture of not just simple likes and dislikes, but of how we think and feel as a nation. These numbers clearly show to those who would take the time to look at them that Bahamians have not deserted their basic, traditional values. This survey also offers some surprising opinions on a myriad of topics.

This week, we would like to continue our review of the survey results and Consider This… What did this survey reveal about Bahamians’ impressions and perceptions about crime and punishment, the police, and the use of physical discipline in the home?

Crime and punishment
Participants indicated that the five most serious problems facing our country today are crime (39.4 percent), unemployment (10.6 percent), bad government (8.9 percent), corruption (8.0 percent), and migration (5.3 percent).

Because crime was rated as the most serious problem, we decided to examine some of the responses in greater detail. Of all 3,429 survey participants, 3,072, or 90.1 percent, indicated that they were not a victim of crime while just 337, or 9.9 percent, indicated that they were victims in one form or another.

When quizzed about the type of victimization, respondents provided the following matrix of responses:

• Home burglary while respondents were not at home – 22.1 percent

• Armed robbery – 18.5 percent

• Assault but not robbery – 18.4 percent

• Unarmed robbery with no assault or physical threat – 13.8 percent

Burglary of home while respondents were at home – 4.2 percent

It is important to remember that only 337 persons, or 9.9 percent of the survey population, responded to this question, because the crime typology referred only to those respondents who indicated that they were victims of crime. Most of those respondents stated that they were victimized either in their homes (37.6 percent) or in their neighborhoods (21.9 percent). Many respondents, 211 or 63.6 percent were victims of a single criminal act against them and 94 persons (28.5 percent) reported two incidents of victimization.

The survey results provided very interesting and informative detail data on victimology segmentation regarding various crimes committed, including the frequency, location, number of assailants and weapons that were used in the commission of crime.

For example, there were only 251 respondents who had their car stolen within the last 12 months (46.7 percent) and another 48.8 percent responded that their cars were stolen before that period, that is, earlier than in the 12 months before they were interviewed.

Considerable time was spent with the survey participants regarding the frequency and nature of burglaries, assaults – both with and without the use of weapons – and armed and unarmed robberies.

An interesting observation is that given the number of persons who were actually victimized (9.9 percent) and the fact that crime was rated as the most serious societal problem by 39.4 percent of all respondents, notwithstanding the highly extensive coverage of crime in our print and broadcast media, while not seeking to minimize the incidence of victimization, it stands to reason that the “fear of crime” by our citizens is more prevalent than the actual commission of crime.

There was also an overwhelming sense, which is not at all surprising, that respondents felt that the most effective way to reduce crime in our society is to increase punishment for criminals. A total of 60.7 percent of respondents preferred that solution, while 15.6 percent advocated implementing preventive measures. Another 23.7 percent suggested that both measures should be taken.

Perceptions about the police
The police generally received high marks from the survey respondents, who reported overall satisfaction with police performance as “very satisfied” (12 percent) or “satisfied (73 percent) for an overall favorable performance rating of 85 percent.

A similarly positive perception related to “police performance in controlling neighborhood crime”. A total of 30.4 percent of respondents indicated that the police were doing a “very good job” and another 45.2 percent said that the police are doing a fairly good job, for a cumulative favorable performance rating of 75.6 percent.

A total of 65 percent of respondents concluded that “police harassment in neighborhoods” was not a problem while 2.4 percent said that it was a “very big problem” and 5.4 percent characterized it as “a big problem”. A total of 13.4 percent said that it was neither a big nor small problem.

There was also an interesting result to a question about “Trust in the police”. On a scale of 1 to 7 with 1 representing “not at all” and 7 representing “A lot”, survey participants gave the following responses: 9.4 percent gave the police a rating of 1 (“not at all” trustworthy), while 19.5 per cent gave them a rating of 7 (“highly trustworthy”). A cumulative rating of 14.7 percent was offered for responses of between 2 and 3, while 39.9 percent rated the police between 5 and 6.

If the rating categories of 1 to 3 are aggregated, the result would be 24.1 percent as compared to the rating categories of 4 to 6, which aggregated to 56.5 percent.

The comparative analysis applied to “Trust in the national legislature” renders an aggregate rating of 32 percent for the rating categories of 1 to 3, and 53.9 percent for the rating categories of 4 to 6.

The conclusion is that the Bahamian people have greater trust for the police than they do for members of Parliament.

Use of physical discipline in the home
The survey provides interesting observations relative to the use of physical discipline in the home. When asked if they believe that it is necessary to use physical discipline with children, 6.1 percent of respondents indicated “always”, 7.0 percent responded “most often”, 62.9 percent said sometimes, 9.4 percent said “almost never” and 14.6 percent replied “never”.

When asked if their parents used physical discipline on them, respondents replied: 10.2 percent “always”, 10.7 percent “most often”, 57.5 percent “sometimes”, 8.1 percent “almost never” and 13.5 percent “never”.

To the question of whether the respondent approves of a husband hitting his wife if she neglects her chores, the responses were that 2.4 percent would approve, 20.5 percent would not approve but would understand, and 77.1 percent would not approve or understand.

A similar question addressed whether respondents would approve of a husband hitting his wife if she is unfaithful. A total of 7.7 percent said that they would approve, 29.5 percent would not approve, but would understand, and 62.6 percent would neither approve nor understand.

Conclusion
Last week, we observed that the survey results were as interesting – and illuminating ­ as they were instructive about many aspects of Bahamian society. For the first time, through this survey, we are able to hear from the bedrock of the Bahamian society, many of whom do not call talk shows, vent their frustrations in print or otherwise make their rather negative views known to one and all.

Next week we will examine other portions of this very enlightening – and in many aspects surprising – window into the way Bahamians feel about many issues.

As we concluded last week, a very clear picture is emerging of those Bahamians who form the silent majority, the people whose steadfast efforts keep the nation, the community and the family on course and whose hands on the tiller will ensure that this ship makes it through troubled waters and safely arrives at a vibrant and secure future.

• Philip C. Galanis is the managing partner of HLB Galanis and Co., Chartered Accountants, Forensic & Litigation Support Services. He served 15 years in Parliament. Please send your comments to pgalanis@gmail.com.

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