Police Perceptions of Procedural Justice Policing

• In Event: Police Legitimacy and Procedural Justice (2): New Perspectives on Police-Citizen Relations

Abstract

Procedural justice research often explores public perceptions of police in regards to how police treat citizens. This research typically finds that the public appreciate receiving procedural justice from police and react negatively toward police if procedural justice is not granted. Few studies have explored how police view using procedural justice in encounters with the public. Yet in many jurisdictions around the world, police are being tasked to adopt procedural justice into their policing practices. Using data drawn from in-depth interviews with 20 Queensland Police Service police officers who work with young people this study aims to understand police perceptions of procedural justice, particularly in relation to how this may affect their relationships with youth. This study demonstrates how police adopt procedural justice principles in their policing of young people, the barriers police face in using procedural justice in the field, and their perceptions of the utility of procedural justice in gaining trust and cooperation from young people.

Authors

• Siobhan Allen, Griffith University

• Kristina Murphy, Griffith University