Over 86% of Taiwanese satisfied with neighborhood security: Survey

Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) More than 86 percent of residents in Taiwan said they are satisfied with the security of their homes and neighborhoods, while nearly 79 percent expressed satisfaction with police efforts to maintain wider public order, according to a survey released Wednesday by National Chung Cheng University (CCU).

The mobile phone survey, conducted by the university's Crime Research Center, found that 86.35 percent of respondents felt safe in their neighborhoods, indicating strong public confidence in local security.

However, only 48.56 percent rated wider public security as good, a discrepancy that Hsu Hua-fu (許華孚), head of the center, attributed to frequent reporting of crimes in the media.

Satisfaction with police work in maintaining public security stood at 78.72 percent, the highest level recorded over the past five years, Hsu said.

The survey showed particularly strong approval for community-based police services, with more than 90 percent of respondents supporting such measures as providing escorts for large cash withdrawals and safeguarding homes when families travel.

More than 80 percent also approved of police efforts to ensure the safety of public transport during major holidays and the rapid deployment of anti-crime units to deter group violence.

CCU criminology professor Cheng Jui-lung (鄭瑞隆) cautioned that the survey was conducted before fatal stabbing attacks near Taipei Main Station and MRT Zhongshan Station in December last year, and warned that high satisfaction with neighborhood security could also foster a false sense of safety.

Cheng said further improvements are needed in traffic safety, anti-fraud enforcement and drug prevention, noting that police plan to introduce artificial intelligence tools and strengthen public awareness to better combat scams.

The survey collected 3,000 valid samples from adults across Taiwan and outlying islands, including Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, from Dec. 11-17, 2025, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.79 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.