Safe Communities for All
Significance
People should feel safe in their communities and trust the people and systems meant to protect them. Safety is more than just policing. It’s about strong communities, conflict prevention, and systems that support – not harm – people.
Community Perception of Safety
Feeling safe impacts how people interact in their environment. The reason perceived safety is important is because it influences the level to which people feel isolated or engaged in their neighborhoods. Research has shown that increased resident isolation can impact individuals and neighborhoods in ways such as increased depression rates, increased child maltreatment rates, and overall increase in crime rates. To create an environment in Washington where Washington where everyone feels safe to live, work, and play, we must begin with understanding resident perception of safety.
Actual Safety
The measure of actual safety is important because it helps reveal why people in various regions experience differing levels of perceived safety. Examining documented incidents of compromised safety allows the State to create targeted interventions to build an environment where everyone feels safe to live, work, and play. It is important to consider rate at which different populations experience crime. The rate to which crime is experienced by one group over another can influence the perception of safety which ultimately impacts the ability of people to feel safe to live, work, and play in the State.
