Experts say the report helps them understand what works

The study on media and crime reduction was commissioned by community safety consortium Safe in Tees Valley.

The results came from a survey of 944 households in the Tees Valley area on public attitudes to crime prevention.

Those behind the study says it highlights a need to examine new ways of reaching groups by those involved in reducing crime and fear of crime.

The study was carried out by Research Solutions UK in partnership with the Government Office for the North East, Cleveland Police and Durham Police.

The study found of all the respondents, ethnic minority residents were most likely to be cynical about the benefits of crime reduction.

'Break down barriers'

It found 64% believed that improving the security of their home or vehicles would make little or no difference to their chances of becoming a victim of crime.

Less than one in three residents from minority ethnic communities could recall any crime prevention campaign, compared to one in two who classes their ethnicity as 'white British'.

Safe in Tees Valley programme director John Bentley said: "These findings represent a tremendous challenge.

"If we expect members of ethnic minorities to improve their security by changing their behaviour, then we have to reach them with the right prevention message, delivered in the right way."

The report urges community safety professionals to consider less conventional ways to get crime prevention messages across.

Regional crime director for the North East, Alan Brown, said: "This study helps us understand what works, what doesn't and how to break down the barriers between crime prevention and those who need the messages most."