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Public confidence in the criminal justice system has slumped to an all-time low, with new research revealing that barely half of adults – just 54 per cent – have confidence in how the system delivers justice.
Confidence in the NSW criminal justice system has fallen to a historic low, with new research revealing a steady and accelerating erosion of trust across the courts, police, and broader public perceptions of how effectively justice is delivered.
The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has released its latest update on public confidence in the state’s criminal justice system, based on a representative survey of 2,000 adults across NSW.
BOCSAR’s latest findings revealed a “significant” decline in confidence across key aspects of the NSW justice system since 2019, with the agency even reporting that it is at its “lowest levels” since the survey began in 2007.
The report reveals a stark split in public confidence, with just over half of respondents (54 per cent) saying they are confident the justice system brings offenders to justice, while only 34 per cent believe it adequately meets the needs of victims.
While confidence in the justice system has declined overall, the sharpest deterioration is evident in attitudes towards NSW Police, with just 56 per cent of respondents now believing police are meeting the needs of victims – a steep fall of 14 percentage points since 2019.
Confidence in the timely handling of cases has also taken a significant hit, plunging from 66 per cent to 49 per cent over the same period.
BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald suggested that the fall in confidence in police may be linked to a mix of local pressures and shifting public attitudes, adding that the trend may also sit within a broader international pattern of declining trust in public institutions.
“Confidence in the police has declined across a range of measures,” Fitzgerald said.
“Possible local factors driving the decline include strained police-community relations during the COVID-19 pandemic, increased media scrutiny, and heightened public debate around issues such as youth crime and domestic violence.
“However, similar patterns observed internationally suggest this could also reflect a broader decline in trust in public institutions.”
At the same time, public sentiment was notably weaker in areas relating to victims and system efficiency, with just 34 per cent of respondents expressing confidence that the justice system adequately meets the needs of victims, and a strikingly low 23 per cent believing cases are dealt with in a timely manner.
However, confidence in procedural fairness stood out as a relative strength, albeit still far from overwhelming, with 73 per cent of respondents saying the rights of accused persons are respected, and 69 per cent believing accused individuals are treated fairly within the system.
Fitzgerald stressed that closing this gap is critical, warning that trust lies at the core of the justice system’s legitimacy and that any erosion of confidence can quickly ripple out, undermining community engagement with police, courts, and the broader system.
“Public confidence underpins the legitimacy of the criminal justice system. When trust declines, people may be less willing to report crime, engage with police and courts, or participate as witnesses and jurors,” Fitzgerald said.
