Media Portrayals of Crime and their Relationship to Police Perceptions of the Use of Excessive Force

• In Event: Perceptions and Policing

Abstract

This study examines how racial primes, in the form of media coverage, can influence police perceptions of excessive force and police abuse. Given the ubiquitous media coverage of crime and police misconduct, the examined research sheds light on whether media portrayals of Black criminals contribute to police officers perceiving certain demonstrations of police abuse of power as more or less serious. A questionnaire was administered to state, local, and campus police personnel, as well as parole officers and a student comparison group. Respondents were randomly assigned to a racial priming condition in which they read a brief news story that presented the suspect as Black or White. The control group respondents received the same crime story with no racial prime. All respondents then answered a brief Likert-scale questionnaire to measure their perceived level of seriousness of police abuse. Statistical analyses were run to determine differences within and between the groups. The results contribute to the role media may play in police perceptions and behavior.

Authors

• Ariele Marie Williams, University of Scranton

• Michael Jenkins, University of Scranton