Race, Neighborhood Context, and Experience with Campus Police: A Qualitative Assessment of Student Experiences

• In Event: Campus Policing and Perceptions of Police By University Students

Abstract

The experiences of those of different races with police and resulting views of police authority and legitimacy are extensively documented in existing research literature. However, unlike more traditional forms of policing, not much is currently known issues related to the specific nature of policing on college and university campuses, including the experiences with and views of campus police by students of different races. This qualitative study of students at two public universities in the Northeastern United States, one is located in suburban town where a majority of students are White and the other located in an urban city environment where a majority of students are Black or Hispanic, documents student experiences and perceptions of their respective campus police departments and officers. Black students on the suburban campus reported very negative experiences with campus police that they believed involved racial bias. None of the students on the urban campus, of any race, reported negative experiences or negative views of their campus police. Implications of these findings in regard to the specific features of each campus are discussed. Broader policy implications for campus police and college and university administrators are also presented.

Author

• Shannon Therese Grugan, West Chester University