Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Criminology
Police Perceptions Of Their External Legitimacy In High And Low Crime Areas Of The Community, Justin Nix
Police Perceptions Of Their External Legitimacy In High And Low Crime Areas Of The Community, Justin Nix
Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications
Until recently, police legitimacy research has primarily focused on citizen perceptions of the police. However, it may be that the police believe citizens associate other factors, such as distributive justice or performance, with legitimacy. The present study adds to the literature by surveying a nationally representative sample of U.S. police officers about how they believe citizens residing in high and low crime areas of the community evaluate police in terms of legitimacy. Findings suggest that respondents believe procedural justice and distributive justice are important to citizens of both areas in terms of generating trust. At the same time, respondents believe …
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 …