Which Factors are Associated with Better Police-citizen Encounters? Findings from Systematic Social Observation of interactions with Suspects

• In Event: Can Training Improve Stop and Search Practice? Evaluating a Training Pilot RCT in England and Wales

Abstract

This paper examines observational data from patrols with police officers who had received the training intervention. Systematic Social Observations (SSO) five officers were carried out in each of the six pilot police agencies , focusing on interactions with members of public considered to be suspects (i.e. suspected by police of being involved in criminal or disorderly activities) in at least one point during the encounter. The observations were conducted using, in part, a ‘procedural justice’ lens, examining aspects of citizen participation, officer neutrality, dignity in the interaction, and the officer exhibiting trustworthy motives within the encounter. The paper first considers those interactions that specifically involved the use of stop and search powers, looking in particular at whether and to what degree the technical aspects of the search were conducted in line with College learning standards. Following this, the paper examines the full dataset of all encounters with suspects (whether including a search, or not), looking at whether there is any relationship between the officer’s conduct within an interaction and the suspect’s subsequent behaviour toward the officer or expressed attitude toward the search. Based on the findings, the paper considers whether and to what degree officers’ adherence to principles of procedural justice within an encounter might affect the quality of that encounter and the way citizens react to it.

Authors

• Tal Jonathan-Zamir, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Ben Bradford, University of Oxford