全球智库信息集成服务系统

The public recognizes some positive elements in police actions and behavior.

• For example, many sources noted that the Israel Police is effective at fighting many types of crime.
• A review of media sources found evidence that the Israel Police's efforts to improve its image and to increase public satisfaction are finding their way into the press.

At the same time, the public holds some negative views of the police.

• The perception persists that the police do not always appear to behave in a professional way and do not adequately provide safety and security.
• Informants noted that the police typically do not have a "customer service" orientation when dealing with the public (e.g., they arrive late, do not write down information). There was also perceived bias in police behavior, and some described fear of the police.

Israel has changed dramatically since its founding, especially in the past two decades. There is a public interest in having the police provide a type and level of service that keeps pace with these changes. Despite relatively low crime rates, the public in Israel still perceives threats to personal security and expresses concern over quality of police service. The Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Finance, and the Israel Police asked the RAND Corporation to conduct a study that would help these organizations address several issues of mutual concern. They requested that RAND address issues of public perceptions and public trust in the police, benchmarking the police against other police organizations, performance measurement, and deterrence and crime prevention. This document reports the outcome of the resulting two-year project.

Please note: Separate files for English and Hebrew are available for download. The printed version of this report includes the Hebrew translation.

• Chapter One

  Introduction

• Chapter Two

  Understanding Public Perceptions of the Israel Police

• Chapter Three

  Understanding How Other Police Forces Approach Key Policing Issues

• Chapter Four

  Recommendations for Enhancing the Effectiveness of the Israel Police

• Chapter Five

  Conclusion: Embracing a New Posture for Policing in Israel