NCJ Number
247476
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 54 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2014 Pages: 527-550
Date Published
July 2014
Length
24 pages
Annotation
Based on panel data obtained from a representative sample of Australians, this study examined the associations between procedural justice, social identity, and perceptions of police legitimacy.
Abstract
The study found that the features of police interactions with individuals in the course of enforcing a law that may have been violated is linked to the legitimacy that a person will attribute to the police. Further, the study found that if the police behavior and attitude in the course of the interaction is perceived as fair and respectful, this affirms the individual's sense of positive "social identity," i.e., his/her sense of worth and status as a fellow citizen. This does not mean that the individual expects to receive special treatment from the police by ignoring the law violation, but rather that the law is enforced fairly, objectively, and with respect for the rights of the individual. Under this type of interaction with police, a citizen is more likely to attribute legitimacy to the work of law enforcement officers. Conducted in 2007, this study surveyed a random sample of 5,700 Australian citizens. A completed response was received from 438 of those contacted. Two response variables were required: the extent of respondent's identification with the social group the Australian police represent, i.e., the Australian community, and an assessment of police legitimacy. A second survey was conducted 2 years later, and responses from both surveys were merged to produce a panel survey dataset. 4 tables, 1 figure, and 67 references