Victimization and Trust in the Police in Turkey: A Multilevel Analysis

• In Event: Perceptions of Police Across the Globe

Abstract

The present analysis is based on data collected in 2008 from a representative sample (N = 2,416) of persons age 15 and older who are residents of Turkey. Results indicate that public trust in the police is mainly a reflection of residents’ general attitudes toward important state institutions such as the government, the parliament, and the legal system. Additionally, while experience with victimization, interpersonal trust, place of residence, and certain demographic characteristics such as age or gender do not appear to influence one’s trust in law enforcement agencies in Turkey, ethnic minority status, education, and political orientation do have a significant impact on one’s level of confidence in the police. Taking into account the fact that about 6% of the variation in trust in the police stems from differences among the country’s regions, the effect of contextual factors on public attitudes toward the Turkish police will be also discussed.

Authors

• Viviana Andreescu, University of Louisville

• Cagatay Koc, University of Louisville