Safety Diagnosis Tool Kit for Local Communities: Guide to Organizing Semi-Structured Interviews With Key Informant

Like focus groups, direct observation and literature reviews, semi-structured interviews can be used to gather qualitative information. This guide to organizing semi-structured interviews is part of the Safety Diagnosis Tool Kit for Local Communities. It has been prepared for people who want to plan and conduct this type of interview with key informants during safety diagnoses. The procedure described here may also be used in other contexts provided an appropriate interview plan is designed.

During safety diagnoses, semi-structured interviews should be used to explore crime and safety problems perceived by key informants. In particular, they should focus on the following topics: crime and victimization, disorderly conduct and incivility (nuisances), the perception of safety or the feeling of safety and the assessment of public services.