Validation of Perceived Community Safety Instrument Using Polytomous Rasch Measurement Model

Abstract

This study involves the designing, development and testing of an instrument for capturing perception of community safety in rural communities in Sarawak, Malaysia. Data were collected in Kampung Pulo Salak, Kampung Sebayor, Kampung Tanjong Bako and Kampung Pinggan Jaya. A total of 172 households were interviewed and their responses were recorded accordingly for each item listed in the instrument. The study details the validation of community safety instrument using a Rasch analysis technique. The instrument was adapted, translated from various sources and customized to the need of local communities. The many items in the original instruments were shortlisted and subsequently tested to assess the quality of the measurement used. Aspects investigated include personal and community safety, crime and social disorder, police effectiveness and engagement as well as the sense of community. Based on results from Rasch analysis, thirty items from the initial fifty-one shortlisted items were retained. The final version of the instruments implicates good reliability and validity. There was no differential item functioning detected and the measure was proven to be unidimensional. This instrument is expected to benefit local authorities especially for the formulation of necessary interventions to ameliorate issues pertaining to community safety.