Race, political ideology, and the mental health impact of perceived police bias

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Abstract

In this study, we consider the role of political ideology in shaping both between-race and within-race variations in perceived police bias and the mental health implications. The 2021 U.S. General Social Survey introduces a novel item aimed at gauging public perceptions of racial bias within the police force (i.e., Do the police treat Whites better than Blacks?). Our analysis of the data shows that Blacks are five times more likely than Whites to perceive police treat Whites better than Blacks. However, variations in perceived police bias exist not only between Blacks and Whites but also within each group. Whites’ perceptions of police racial bias largely align with their political affiliations, with Democrats being more likely than Republicans to perceive higher levels of bias. Conversely, Blacks’ higher perceptions of police racial bias are less influenced by their political ideology. The link between the perception of police racial bias and poor mental health among Whites is primarily driven by ideological differences, whereas this association does not hold for Blacks. This study highlights the importance of exploring racially specific mechanisms underlying how perceived police bias operates and influences public mental health.

Authors

• Cary Wu, York University

• Joanne Ong, York University