Does Knowing that Policing Alternatives Exist Inspire Black Americans to Use Them?

• In Event: Racial and Ethnic Minorities Section Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table Nine: Race and Racism as Structured within and Culturally Propagated through the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

This study empirically extends Ba et al. (2024) to examine how Black Americans’ exposure to information about the 211, 311, and 988 crisis response options causally influences their evaluations of non-policing alternatives as viable crisis response vehicles. A randomized experimental design was used to analyze original data collected from a national survey experiment fielded by Cint in 2025 with 2,263 Black adult participants. I hypothesize that those exposed to treatment that provides information about nonpolicing alternatives will evaluate that (1) 211, 311, and 988 are better equipped to handle various violent and non-violent scenarios than 911, (2) community residents are preferred first responders to various local crises than police, and (3) funding new non-policing interventions are desirable alternative pathways to create safety. Findings provide strong support for the first and third hypotheses and partial support for the second hypothesis, suggesting that educating citizens about existing policing alternatives has important public safety implications.

Author

• Demar Francis Lewis, University of Maryland-College Park