A new survey of Ipswich residents shows that less than 30% reported the last crime they witnessed to the police, raising questions about the accuracy of local crime statistics and the public's trust in local policing.
The big picture: An Ipswich.co.uk survey of 67 residents has revealed that 70.1% chose not to report the last crime they witnessed in Ipswich, with nearly a third saying they didn't report crimes because they doubted the police would take appropriate action.
Data shows that crime has decreased since 2021: We published the first article in our Crime in Ipswich series last week. It showed a consistent reduction in the number of recorded crimes in the town over the past two years.
Total number of crimes per month in Ipswich by year
What they said: Some readers were quick to voice strong views that the trend was exclusively down to fewer people reporting crime:
Thomas from the Sidegate area said, "It's obviously because we have learnt there is zero point reporting a crime...I've lost power tools twice, thousands both times, no police turn up, why would I report anything else?"
Rob from Bramford Road added, "Data like this can only describe changes in reported crime rather than in committed crime. The figures might have altered because there is genuinely less crime taking place, or (potentially more likely) it may be because crime victims stop bothering to report crime for a whole variety of reasons - perceived lack of police/court response, fear of repercussions, not being aware that a crime has taken place."
Nikita from Stoke Park shared similar views: "The percentage of people reporting crime has likely reduced significantly over the years due to lack of confidence in policing."
What we did: We surveyed Ipswich residents on Facebook and Nextdoor, asking people how they responded the last time they witnessed a crime in Ipswich.
How did you respond the last time you witnessed a crime in Ipswich?
What the data shows: Over 70% of people didn't report the last crime they witnessed to police:
Only 29.9% reported the last crime they witnessed to the police
31.3% didn't report because they lacked confidence in police effectiveness
10.4% didn't report because they felt the incident wasn't serious enough to report
9% didn't report because they handled the situation themselves or with others' help
9% didn't report because they were concerned about the time and effort required to report
10.4% didn't report for other unspecified reasons
What the data doesn't show: While the data suggests a widespread problem with the underreporting of crime in the town, it doesn't prove that underreporting is more widespread than it was in any of the previous four years. Nor does it prove that the underreporting of crime in Ipswich is more prevalent than in other UK towns or cities.
It's possible that just as many people didn't report crime in 2021 as in 2024, and it's also possible that as many don't report crime elsewhere in the UK.
Why it matters: Not reporting crime can lead to inaccurate crime statistics, a misallocation of police resources, skewed public opinion and reduced police accountability.
What they're saying: We contacted Suffolk's Police & Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore for comment but haven't received a response at the time of publication.
The bottom line: Even if you don't believe that reporting crime is worthwhile, it is vital that you do, as it's the only way to hold local forces accountable for their performance. It's also clear that Suffolk Constabulary faces a significant challenge in repairing its reputation and rebuilding trust with many town residents.
Sources
We conducted a survey of 67 Ipswich residents on Facebook and Nextdoor.
Understanding the margin of error: The margin of error measures a survey's accuracy. The smaller the margin of error, the more confident you may be in its results. The bigger the margin of error, the farther the results can stray from the views of the total population. Based on a population of 139,700 people and a confidence level of 99%, the margin of error for this survey is 16%.
