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Full-Text Articles in Criminology
The Impact Of Negative Publicity On Police Self-Legitimacy, Justin Nix, Scott E. Wolfe
The Impact Of Negative Publicity On Police Self-Legitimacy, Justin Nix, Scott E. Wolfe
Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications
High-profile events involving police use of force in various cities throughout the US and internationally have garnered enormous media coverage and demonstrated the importance of police-community relations. To date little empirical attention has focused on how such events may negatively impact police officers. Using survey data from 567 officers, this study considers whether perceptions of negative publicity are adversely related to officers’ sense of self-legitimacy (i.e. the confidence they have in their authority). Findings revealed officers who felt less motivated as a result of negative publicity expressed less self-legitimacy. However, the degree to which officers felt their job had become …
Do The Police Believe That Legitimacy Promotes Cooperation From The Public?, Justin Nix
Do The Police Believe That Legitimacy Promotes Cooperation From The Public?, Justin Nix
Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications
Tyler’s process-based model of regulation suggests that when citizens perceive the police as a legitimate authority, they are more likely to cooperate in the form of reporting crimes and providing information to the police. Yet most studies have considered citizens’ perceptions of police legitimacy—few studies have asked the police what they feel makes them legitimate in the eyes of the public. Likewise, no studies have considered whether the police believe legitimacy is associated with cooperation from the public. The present study addresses this gap using data from a stratified sample of U.S. police executives. Findings suggest police believe performance, rather …