Statistical Bulletin 'Cyber Crime, Modern Slavery and Sentencing: Findings from the 2023/24 Northern Ireland Safe Community Telephone Survey'

Date published: 5 December 2025

An Official Statistics publication, the bulletin focuses on key modules contained within the NISCTS relating to respondents':

• experience of cyber crime and awareness of online/cyber crime related issues
• perceptions of modern slavery
• perceptions of sentencing.

Key Findings

Cyber Crime

• Similar to 2021/22, the majority of respondents (53%) had not experienced cyber crime. Around one-in-nine, 11%, had been a victim, with the remaining 37% indicating someone attempted to commit a cyber crime against them personally. Of the respondents who had been a victim, 82% had reported the incident(s) to someone, up from 73% in 2021/22. Participants were most likely to report the incident(s) to their bank, building society or credit card company (77%).
• The proportion of respondents who knew where or how to seek advice about cyber security and staying safe online, if needed, rose from 53% in 2021/22 to 56% in 2023/24.
• Latest findings show 43% of respondents were confident that the criminal justice system, government and police deal effectively with cyber crime, a proportion which has fallen from 46% in 2021/22.

Perceptions of Modern Slavery

• More than nine-in-ten (92%) respondents felt modern slavery is present in Northern Ireland, unchanged from 2021/22, also 92%. Sexual (89%) and labour (85%) exploitation were again viewed as the most prevalent types.
• The proportion of respondents who felt they would recognise the signs or indicators that someone is a victim of modern slavery has increased, from 40% in 2021/22 to 45% in 2023/24.
• The vast majority of respondents, 93%, indicated they would report their concerns of someone being a victim of modern slavery, a slight decrease from 94% in 2021/22. Remaining consistent with 2021/22, findings showed respondents would be most likely to report their concerns to the police (87%).
• Just under half of respondents, 48%, felt the courts and police were effective at dealing with modern slavery, down from 52% in 2021/22.

Perceptions of Sentencing

• When asked whether they had heard of certain sentence types, results suggest respondents were most likely to be aware of a suspended (92%) and a community (80%) sentence.
• Remaining at the 2021/22 rate, eight-in-ten (80%) respondents believed that an offender's circumstances should be taken into account by the courts when handing out a sentence.
• Latest findings show there has been a decrease in the proportion of respondents who believed that prison sentences should only be reserved for dangerous offenders who have committed serious offences, down from 42% in 2021/22 to 38% in 2023/24. Similarly, the proportion who felt that spending part of a prison sentence out in the community, subject to conditions, is an effective way of dealing with offenders has also fallen, from 63% to 58%, over the same period.
• Respondents were asked a set of four questions on the purposes of sentencing, more specifically whether or not they agreed it is important that sentencing achieves certain outcomes. Of the four outcomes asked about, participants were most likely to agree that it is important sentencing protects the public (94%) and requires the offenders to make amends for the harm caused (90%). The latter showed an increase from 87% in 2021/22.