Italian Policy on Public Perception of Safety

The perception of safety is related to the approach of individuals to the issues of security in their own environment.

The perception of safety is influenced by a number of social, cultural, and environmental factors. That is why different communities or individuals may have different perceptions of safety when confronted by similar crime phenomena. For example, situations may be perceived differently by people residing in the north and those residing in the south, or by people having different educational and cultural levels.

It obviously goes without saying that the individuals’ perception of safety is highly subjective and it does not always correspond to the real presence of criminal activities on the territory.  

In Italy, the State Police and the other police agencies have recently carried out a number of initiatives to enhance the perceptions of safety among the population and reduce, as much as possible, their sense of insecurity.

These initiatives form part of a wider system of “participated security”, which aims to promote the direct involvement of individuals and communities into building their own safety and security, and includes meetings between police and professional associations or interest groups of seniors, parents, traders, etc., to discuss the issues concerning safety and security.

Policy page:
website www.poliziadistato.it

Contacts:
National organisations: Public Security Department