Police perceptions of alibi accounts: the role of intergroup bias

Abstract

Research has revealed that ethnicity has a significant influence on police officers, potentially leading to discriminatory practices against suspects from different ethnic backgrounds. This study aimed to investigate the inclination to favor members of one’s own social group, as proposed by social identity theory, when evaluating the credibility of alibi statements by Israeli police officers. The research involved 205 police officers who evaluated the credibility of alibi statements provided by suspects belonging to either the Israeli-Jewish or Israeli-Arab ethnic groups. The findings indicate that police officers were more inclined to believe the alibi when it was presented by a suspect from their own social group, thus supporting the presence of intergroup bias in assessments of alibi credibility. The implications of these findings, both practical and theoretical, are discussed.