Social:Police legitimacy
Police legitimacy is the extent to which members of the public view the police as higher power authority figure, often measured in terms of the public's willingness to obey and cooperate with the police.[1] Police legitimacy is linked to the degree of public support for, and cooperation with, the police's efforts to fight crime.[2] When a police officers ability and authority to effectively complete their job is compromised there is potential for a lack of police legitimacy.[3]
People who experience more procedural justice in police encounters view the police as more legitimate.[4] In contrast, order maintenance policing and widespread street stops appear to reduce police legitimacy among young men.[5][6] An increase in public support and compliance can only be accomplished if fair procedures are implemented. Police legitimacy can be achieved by increasing the public involvement in police proceedings by informing and explaining to them the process of the decisions being made.[7] The public makes judgments regarding the activities of police by evaluating their actions when conducting their duties, therefore, influencing their views about police legitimacy.[2]
Procedural Justice
Procedural justice refers to the idea that the police, courts, and other government institutions should enforce the law in an unbiased and impartial process.[8] It consists of four main components that ensure that proper justice is administered to the public. Firstly, citizens should be allowed to participate and be informed about the proceedings before a governmental institution reaches a decision. Secondly, the procedure in question should make the public believe that the institution is reaching a decision in an unbiased manner. Thirdly, it shows that the institution in question has shown dignity and respect throughout the proceedings. Lastly, it should portray that the institution has motives in mind that benefit the citizens. Individuals who believe that they were dealt with in a procedurally just manner are more inclined to agree with the consequences they are facing for their actions. Procedural justice and police legitimacy are collectively linked meaning that a just procedure will promote the public's faith in law enforcement.[9]
See also
- Social:Legitimation crisis – Decline of trust in authority
References
- ↑ Tankebe, Justice (April 2014). Kane, Robert J; Reisig, Michael D. eds. Police Legitimacy. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199843886.001.0001. ISBN 9780199843886. http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199843886.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199843886-e-017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tyler, Tom R. (1 May 2004). "Enhancing Police Legitimacy". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 593 (1): 84–99. doi:10.1177/0002716203262627.
- ↑ "Race, Trust and Police Legitimacy". National Institute of Justice. https://www.nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/legitimacy/Pages/welcome.aspx.
- ↑ Kochel, Tammy Rinehart (2012-06-01). "Can Police Legitimacy Promote Collective Efficacy?". Justice Quarterly 29 (3): 384–419. doi:10.1080/07418825.2011.561805. ISSN 0741-8825. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2011.561805.
- ↑ Gau, Jacinta M.; Brunson, Rod K. (April 2010). "Procedural Justice and Order Maintenance Policing: A Study of Inner‐City Young Men's Perceptions of Police Legitimacy". Justice Quarterly 27 (2): 255–279. doi:10.1080/07418820902763889.
- ↑ Tyler, Tom R.; Fagan, Jeffrey; Geller, Amanda (December 2014). "Street Stops and Police Legitimacy: Teachable Moments in Young Urban Men's Legal Socialization". Journal of Empirical Legal Studies 11 (4): 751–785. doi:10.1111/jels.12055. https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/fss_papers/4988.
- ↑ Harkin, Diarmaid (November 2015). "Police legitimacy, ideology and qualitative methods: A critique of procedural justice theory" (in en). Criminology & Criminal Justice 15 (5): 594–612. doi:10.1177/1748895815580397. ISSN 1748-8958. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1748895815580397.
- ↑ Walters, Glenn D.; Bolger, P. Colin (2018-09-14). "Procedural justice perceptions, legitimacy beliefs, and compliance with the law: a meta-analysis". Journal of Experimental Criminology 15 (3): 341–372. doi:10.1007/s11292-018-9338-2. ISSN 1573-3750. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11292-018-9338-2.
- ↑ Mazerolle, Lorraine; Bennett, Sarah; Davis, Jacqueline; Sargeant, Elise; Manning, Matthew (2013-02-20). "Procedural justice and police legitimacy: a systematic review of the research evidence" (in en). Journal of Experimental Criminology 9 (3): 245–274. doi:10.1007/s11292-013-9175-2. ISSN 1573-3750. http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11292-013-9175-2.
Further reading
- Jackson, Jonathan, Bradford, Ben, Hough, Mike and Murray, K. H., ‘Compliance with the law and policing by consent: notes on police and legal legitimacy,’ in: Crawford, Adam, and Hucklesby, Anthea, (eds.) Legitimacy and Compliance in Criminal Justice (London, UK: Routledge, 2012) pp. 29-49. ISBN:9780415671569
- Jackson, Jonathan, Hough, Mike, Bradford, Ben, Hohl, Katrin and Kuha, Jouni (2012) Policing by consent: understanding the dynamics of police power and legitimacy. ESS country specific topline results series, 1. European Commission.
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