Far-Right, Strain and Cops: The Effects of Strain and Police Encounters on Commitment to Far-Right Extremism

• In Event: Race, Culture and Violence

Abstract

This study assess a recently proposed commitment to far-right (FR) ideology scale and examines the effects of strain, interpersonal relationships and negative interactions with law enforcement on far-right extremism. We selected a sample of 305 far-rightists who committed a financial crime or homicide between 2006 and 2010 in the United States from the United States Extremist Crime Database. In 2016, Kerodal, Freilich and Chermak proposed a commitment to FR ideology scale. The scale identified four sub-types of far-rightists: Conspiracy Theorist, Survivalist, Proud Far-Rightist and Movement Participant. This study has two goals. First, it uses confirmatory factor analysis to confirm or reject Kerodal, Freilich and Chermak’s (2016) commitment to FR ideology scale. Second, it examines the effect of individual level stressors, significant others, membership in an extremist group, and negative interactions with law enforcement officials on overall commitment to FR extremism and the four far-right sub-types.

Authors

• Ashmini Kerodal, Center for Court Innovation

• Joshua D. Freilich, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Steven M. Chermak, Michigan State University