Public in England and Wales wrongly think most killers are minority ethnic
Summary
A study by King’s College London found that people in England and Wales wrongly believe that most killers and sexual offenders are from ethnic minorities or are foreign nationals. The public tends to overestimate these numbers, with some political supporters showing the largest gaps between perception and reality. These misperceptions seem to be driven more by emotions and personal concerns than by facts.Key Facts
- People thought 55% of convicted killers were from ethnic minorities, but the real figure is 35%.
- They believed 45% of killers were white, but the true number is 64%.
- Supporters of the Reform party believed 70% of killers were minorities, the highest among surveyed groups.
- The public estimated 25% of prisoners were foreign nationals, while the actual number is 12%.
- They thought 30% of sexual offences were committed by foreigners; the real figure is 15%.
- 52% believed ethnic or religious minorities receive different sentences in court, with some thinking they get easier punishments.
- People aged differently had varying views, but ethnicity did not change perception much.
- The public overestimated crime victim rates, guessing 27% had been victims, while the real figure was under 10%.
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