Perceived Police Effectiveness Research Articles

Citizens’ Perception on Effects of Kidnapping on Security in Edo South Senatorial District

The cases of kidnapping in Nigeria and in Edo State in particular are rising, and taking dangerous dimensions. What exists in the literature is an ample of research reports on the causes and socioeconomic implications of kidnapping. The general objective of this study is to explore citizens’ perception of the effects of the rising incidence of kidnapping on the security situations in Edo South Senatorial District of Edo State. The exploratory research design operated with the cross sectional research design was adopted for this study. The calculated sample size for this study was placed at approximately 816. For the collection of qualitative data, the purposive sampling techniques were used to select two interviewees from each of the local government areas. Hence, there were 14 interviewees for the collection of qualitative data that complemented the quantitative data. The majority of respondents (54.7%) believe that the death of victims during kidnappings is avoidable or preventable. There was statistically significant difference in the perception of the level of panic due to kidnapping in Edo South according to the age groups. There is statistically significant association between educational qualification and the tendency to get the Police involved in cases of kidnapping. There was statistically significant difference in perceived police effectiveness in the fight against kidnapping in Edo South according the respondents’ nature of employment. In conclusion, there is a significant number of people who are concerned about kidnapping in their area, with most of affirming a high level of panic due to kidnapping. Kidnapping has a negative impact on society and is a source of fear and concern for many people. The lack of proper security measures adds to the problem, and people are left to take precautions to avoid being kidnapped. The citizens are adjusting to the panic caused by kidnapping by taking practical measures to ensure their safety and seeking solace through spiritual practices. It is recommended that the police should take proactive measures to prevent kidnappings, have the necessary resources and training to handle kidnapping cases, and work with other security agencies and organizations to provide support and services to victims after their release.

Social Media Users Cyberhate Reporting Intentions: Does Users’ Perceptions of Police Effectiveness Matter?

In Kenya, social media platforms are the primary medium for cyberhate, and it predominantly affects university students who have extensive social media usage. Although cyberhate is considered as a criminal offence in Kenya, victims, particularly young people, often do not report victimisation to the police. Despite the well-documented harmful effects of cyberhate, the cause behind its underreporting remains unclear. Studies have established the influential role of attitudes, particularly views of police effectiveness, in shaping the choice to report crimes. However, insufficient focus has been given to examining this relationship, specifically within the context of cyberhate reporting. Moreover, potential variations in perceptions of police effectiveness across different policing contexts also introduce nuances to the relationship. Guided by the Instrumental Performance-Based Model of policing, the study explored the connection between social media users' views of police effectiveness and their intention to report incidents of cyberhate victimisation to the police. A descriptive survey design utilizing a quantitative approach was adopted, targeting undergraduate students at a public university in Kenya. From this population, a sampling frame consisting of 5,121 undergraduates was created by focusing on three faculties, and stratified sampling ensured proportional selection from all strata. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire administered to a randomly selected subset of 378 respondents, of whom 261 returned completed questionnaires. Spearman's correlation results revealed a positive and significant correlation between perceived police effectiveness and cyberhate reporting intentions. The study explored the implications of this finding for the National Police Service and suggested directions for future research.

Examining the Effects of Perceptions of Police Effectiveness, Procedural Justice, and Legitimacy on Racial Differences in Anticipated Cooperation With Law Enforcement in Pennsylvania

Perceptions of law enforcement ineffectiveness, injustice, and illegitimacy are prevalent among individuals living in Black communities in the United States. Prior research links these attitudes with differential orientations toward cooperation with police. The current study used data collected from a representative sample of 522 Pennsylvania residents to measure public perceptions of police. Analyses examined racial differences in perceptions of police and determined whether normative (i.e., perceptions of procedural justice) and/or instrumental (i.e., perceptions of police effectiveness) assessments of police could explain racial differences in anticipated cooperation with law enforcement through perceptions of legitimacy. Findings revealed the presence of a significant indirect relationship between race and perceptions of legitimacy through perceptions of police effectiveness and procedural justice, as well as a significant indirect relationship between race and cooperation through police effectiveness, procedural justice, and legitimacy. Theoretical and practical implications stemming from these findings are discussed within.

Public trust in the police: Investigating the influence of police performance, procedural fairness, and police-community relations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

In Western countries, there is conclusive research on public trust in the police and the factors that affect it; however, the situation in developing countries like Ethiopia is largely unknown and unexplored. The current study utilized cross-sectional data from representative 616 households from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study results found lower trust in the local police, less effective in reducing crime, and residents’ unfavorable perceptions of police procedural fairness, accompanied by poor relationships with the community. Moreover, perceptions of police effectiveness, procedural justice, and police-community relations were significant predictors of citizens’ trust in the police. The results of the study provide evidence for the applicability of the underlying assumptions of the performance model, procedural justice and community policing in the context of Ethiopia. As a result, to enhance trust in the police and improve relations with citizens, police should effectively control crime and communicate it, exert authority procedurally, exercise fair and respectful policing, and undertake activities that positively strengthen their relationship with the community. This study has theoretical and practical implications and provides insights for enhancing public trust in the police.

Police Effectiveness and Procedural Justice as Competing Public Values: Moving Beyond the Instrumental-Versus-Normative Model of Police Legitimacy

Abstract This study argues that the dichotomy of instrumental-versus-normative motives in mainstream policing literature can mislead the ways in which police effectiveness and procedural justice shape people’s judgments about the police. Effective policing may be important even for individuals who do not directly benefit from it, while procedurally just policing can bring instrumental benefits, particularly for underprivileged social groups. We propose an alternative framework that characterizes police effectiveness and procedural justice as competing public values, of which the salience depends on political dynamics that vary across time and space. We explored the South Korean case where advocates for effective crime control and procedural justice are vying without one side decisively outweighing the other. Analysis of a representative cross-sectional survey shows that people’s perceptions of police effectiveness and procedural justice are both positively associated with trust in the police which, in turn, is positively associated with willingness for voluntary compliance and cooperation. Broader implications for theory and policy are discussed.

The Formal-Informal Control Nexus During COVID-19: What Drives Informal Social Control of Social Distancing Restrictions During Lockdown?

The public rely on the police to enforce the law, and the police rely on the public to report crime and assist them with their enquiries. Police action or inaction can also impact on public willingness to informally intervene in community problems. In this paper we examine the formal-informal control nexus in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on a survey sample of 1,595 Australians during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, we examine the relationship between police effectiveness, collective efficacy, and public willingness to intervene when others violate lockdown restrictions. We find that perceptions of police effectiveness in handling the COVID-19 crisis has a positive impact on the public's willingness to intervene when others violate lockdown restrictions.

Procedural justice, police legitimacy, and performance: Perspectives of South African students

This study explored notions of procedural justice and police legitimacy among university students in South Africa. We surveyed 482 South African university students (female =77.6%; black = 91.7%; mean age = 23.0 years, SD = 1.05 years) on the effect of procedural justice and other factors on their perception of police legitimacy. Following hierarchical regression analysis, we found that those who held the view that the police are effective in crime control regarded the police as legitimate. On the contrary, those who believed that there is inequality and discrimination in the country were less likely to view the police as legitimate. Moreover, perceived police effectiveness predicted police legitimacy more so than procedural justice policing.

What’s Under the Regalia? An Examination of Campus Concealed Weapon Carrying Behavior and Attitudes toward Policies

ABSTRACT The current study aims to examine and compare predictors of attitudinal support for campus carry and concealed carrying behaviors on a campus where faculty, staff, and students can legally carry a weapon. This explores the relationship between attitudes and behaviors as it relates to concealed weapons on campuses. Whereas attitudinal correlates conformed to prior literature, these correlates were not equally predictive of behavior. Respondents’ gender and if they voted for the 2016 Republican nominee predicted support for campus carry and concealed carrying behavior. When controlling for attitudes toward campus carry, voting behavior no longer predicted behavior. However, perceptions of police effectiveness were inversely related to carrying behavior. Although findings suggest that campus carry attitudes and concealed carry behaviors overlap, attitudinal support for campus carry is not wholly an adequate proxy for behavior. These findings suggest that improving perceptions of campuses’ ability to ensure student safety may influence carrying behavior.

Untangling the Complex Pathways to Confidence in the Police in South Korea: a Stepwise Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

Studies on confidence in the police have employed three theoretical frameworks: (1) an instrumental model that focuses on the effect of police effectiveness and fear of crime, (2) an expressive model that emphasizes the role of general perception on social cohesion, and (3) a procedural model that highlights the distinct role of perceived police fairness. While studies have clarified specific pathways in the instrumental and expressive models, a comprehensive examination of all three models remains sparse in the field of criminal justice. Furthermore, existing studies rarely examined the multilevel causal structures of these models. This study aims to address these limitations by examining separate and comprehensive multilevel structural equation models (SEMs) of these theoretical frameworks. The data was collected through the multistage stratified random sampling from 12 boroughs of four metropolitan cities in South Korea, and a total of 2040 individuals were interviewed face-to-face. The results of the SEM analyses showed that perceived police fairness was the primary determinant of confidence in the police in South Korea, while fear of crime, perceived police effectiveness, and perceived social cohesion had a limited effect. Policy implications and suggestions for future studies are discussed.

Crime victimization distress, neighbourhood social cohesion and perceived police effectiveness

AbstractDespite important policy implications, there is scant research on the relationship between distress from victimization and perceptions of police effectiveness. This study investigates the relationship between extent of distress due to violent victimization and perceptions of local law enforcement. In addition, we examine the way that perceived neighbourhood social cohesion accounts for the relationship. We use data from a U.S. statewide victimization survey to estimate regression models that compare victims of violent crime with no/mild distress, victims with moderate/severe distress and nonvictims of violent crime on ratings of police effectiveness. Models include controls for local crime and poverty rates, demographic characteristics, property crime victimization and respondents' exposure to negative policing via media and their own contact with law enforcement. Results show that 10% of respondents are victims of violent crime, and among victims, 40% report no/mild distress and 60% report moderate/severe distress. While victims with greater distress rate police lower on the effectiveness scale, these differences can be accounted for by controls for neighbourhood context, especially the level of perceived social cohesion. Results suggest neighbourhood social environments should be incorporated into models of perceptions of police effectiveness and policing more broadly and that increasing social cohesion may improve police‐community dynamics.

The police and the public: policing practices and public trust in Latin America

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, most Latin American countries have struggled to create or reform their police forces while simultaneously confronting sharp increases in violent crime. Reformers have gravitated towards community-oriented policing practices, which aim to rely on preventive tactics and build closer ties between police officers and the public. The implementation of such policing practices can be daunting, particularly for countries with authoritarian histories of policing and/or military repression. When confronting rising crime rates, some new democracies are tempted to revert to authoritarian policing practices and circumvent constitutional safeguards on human rights and civil liberties. Still, some countries have resisted such temptations, and seriously invested in community-oriented policing practices. However, do these community-oriented policing practices lead citizens to trust the police more? Or does public trust depend more heavily on results – particularly in countries undergoing crises in public security? To answer these questions, we analyze public trust in the police in 17 Latin American countries through a series of regression analyses of the Latin American Public Opinion Project’s (LAPOP) 2016–2017 survey data. We find that community-oriented policing practices tend to garner more public trust, but that perceptions of police effectiveness are equally important.

Explaining citizen support for women police in India

ABSTRACT In this paper, we examine citizen support for female police officers in India. More specifically, we examined the relationship of citizens’ perceptions of police effectiveness, corruption, general satisfaction with police, and contact experiences with their support for women police in India, a society that is patriarchal with strong gender role stereotypes. Findings suggest that older residents living in urban areas are supportive of more women police, but contact has no bearing on the dependent variable. Perceived corruption of the police, in general, was a strong predictor for citizen support for female police officers. However, perceived police effectiveness and satisfaction is negatively related to support for women police. It is argued that apart from expanding the strength of female police officers in all female police stations, they should also be deployed more widely in patrol functions to enhance the visibility and value of women in crime and security responsibilities.

Addressing Violence Against Women: The Effect of Women’s Police Stations on Police Legitimacy

With a focus on the implementation of women’s police stations (WPS), we posit that local policies that address violence against women can result in positive feedback effects on institutional legitimacy. We theorize that WPS increase police legitimacy among women by improving perceptions of personal safety and government responsiveness. To test our hypotheses, we rely on municipal and public opinion data from more than 100 municipalities in Brazil. The results of our multilevel analysis indicate that WPS produce positive feedback effects among women, resulting in higher trust in the police among women than men and closing the gender gap in perceptions of police effectiveness. Incorporating an instrumental variable in the analyses yields similar results, suggesting that these effects are not endogenous. Moreover, the results of our mediation models show that WPS’ positive effects on women’s views of police legitimacy are driven by improved perceptions of personal safety, and not perceptions of government responsiveness.

Changing the Narrative: Police–Community Partnerships and Racial Reconciliation

Police–community relations are strained in the United States, especially along racial lines. This paper assesses community perceptions of crime and the police before and after the implementation of an intervention aimed at eliminating overt drug markets through focused deterrence and police–community partnerships emphasizing racial reconciliation. Mail surveys were sent to every household living within a two-mile radius of the block group where the intervention took place and we estimate differences-in-differences OLS models to examine whether the intervention changed perceptions of crime and police trust and legitimacy. Relative to non-black respondents, black respondents perceived a reduction in non-violent crimes and disorder as well as less racial profiling after the intervention; these results are robust to a number of robustness checks. We did not observe a change with respect to perceptions of police effectiveness, fairness, or other measures of police legitimacy.

The code of the street and cooperation with the police: Do codes of violence, procedural injustice, and police ineffectiveness discourage reporting violent victimization to the police?

PurposeFew quantitative studies have tested Anderson's (1999) suggestion that reliance on codes of violence and mistrust in the police reduce the likelihood of cooperating with the police after being victimized. We examine whether perceived codes of violence, perceived police effectiveness, and perceived procedural injustice influence the decision to report crime to the police. We also examine whether these relationships interact with individual or situational characteristics. MethodsThis study applies binary logistic regression to a sample of 687 victims of violence from the Seattle Neighborhoods and Crime Survey. ResultsThe results indicated that procedural injustice had significant effects on crime reporting, though this relationship was conditioned by victim injury. Codes of violence and police effectiveness were related to crime reporting, but only among Black crime victims. ConclusionsTaken together, the results underscore the importance of police-community relations, as poor perceptions of the police and reliance on oneself for protection and justice reduce cooperation with the police, especially among minorities.

In their own eyes: an empirical examination of police self-legitimacy

ABSTRACTIn their paper Beyond Procedural Justice, Bottoms and Tankebe specified two interrelated dimensions of legitimacy: audience legitimacy and self-legitimacy. Criminologists have given considerable attention to audience legitimacy, but police officers’ belief in their own legitimacy remains understudied. This paper extends Bottoms and Tankebe’s theory and reports findings on some of its key propositions, using survey data from a UK police force. Three key findings emerge. First, contrary to previous studies, feelings of recognition by supervisors and clientele did not predict self-legitimacy; self-legitimacy was found to depend on feelings of peer recognition and acceptance. Second, self-legitimacy predicted officers’ commitment to external procedural justice but not their moral orientations towards crime victims. Finally, perceived police effectiveness but not supervisor recognition – that is, internal procedural justice – was the key predictor both of external procedural justice and of normative orientations towards crime victims. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Religious Identity and Perceptions of Criminal Justice Effectiveness

Religiosity and attitudes regarding the criminal justice system have remained largely unstudied to date, despite the centrality of religion as an aspect of one’s identity formation. This study tests the hypothesis that perceptions of the effectiveness of police and the courts vary according to religious identity (affiliation, membership, and self-described religiosity or spirituality). A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 342 undergraduate students in introductory social science courses at a mid-sized university in the Southeastern US. Multiple Ordinary Least Squares regression analyses were performed on predictors of two outcome variables: perceived police effectiveness and perceived court effectiveness. Results offer partial support for a religious identity-based explanation of public perceptions of criminal justice system effectiveness. Membership of a local congregation, in general, was associated with higher ratings of police and court effectiveness. In addition, African Americans rated criminal justice effectiveness lower than non-African Americans. Once interactions between race and religious identity were incorporated, race itself became non-significant for both views on court and police effectiveness. However, these results showed that among African Americans, being a congregation member significantly reduced rather than increased ratings of police effectiveness. Religion thus continues to be complex and even paradoxical in shaping perceptions in the US.

Dull compulsion or perceived legitimacy? Assessing why people comply with the law in Nigeria

Do people living in societies rife with police corruption comply with the law because they perceive police as legitimate or because of their feelings of endemic powerlessness (i.e., what Tankebe (2009) refers to as dull compulsion)? Prior studies have shown that compliance is driven primarily by perceptions that authorities and their laws are legitimate and entitled to be obeyed. Using cross-sectional survey data collected from Southwest Nigeria, this study found that perceptions of police effectiveness and procedural justice were related to Nigerians’ self-reported compliance with the law. Importantly, and unexpectedly, neither dull compulsion nor perceptions of police legitimacy were related to Nigerians’ self-reported compliance behaviour. The implications of these findings for policing in postcolonial African societies are discussed.

Living near violence: How proximity to violence shapes perceptions of police effectiveness and confidence in police

Living in close proximity to violent crime is associated with a number of negative outcomes including increased fear of crime and perceived risk of victimization. Living near violence may also undermine confidence in police. In this study we estimate fixed effects regression models to examine the association between spatial proximity to recent violence and perceptions of police while accounting for individual and neighborhood factors. Results indicate that living in close proximity to violence is associated with greater confidence in police and this relationship is mediated through perceived police effectiveness. We suggest people living closer to recent violent events are more likely to see police actively responding to crime and the coupling of seeing both the violence and police response results in people feeling more confident in police than those living further away from violence.

Differential perceptions of fear of crime among college students: The race factor

ABSTRACTDespite the rising crime rates on U.S. university campuses, few empirical studies—either quantitative or qualitative—have examined the rate of fearfulness among college students. The present analysis supplements previous efforts by exploring racial effects on college students' feelings of fearfulness and determines the influence of individual characteristics on white and nonwhite students' fear of crime. Using cross-sectional data from a large public university in the United States, results show that nonwhite students have greater levels of fear of crime on campus than their white counterparts. Moreover, gender and perceived police effectiveness also influenced students' levels of fear of crime. The effects were true for both white and nonwhite students.