Neighborhood Effects, Police Misconduct, and Perceived Bias on Citizen Perceptions of Police

• In Event: Neighborhoods and Policing

Abstract

Citizen perceptions of police are complicated and cannot be contributed to one factor. The confluence of many factors affect how the citizenry view and understand police. The purpose of this paper is to more fully understand the complexity of this relationship. Further investigation regarding the strength of the association of various factors such as neighborhood context, social disorganization, perceived police misconduct, and perceived racism can further elucidate these complex relationships. The sample is derived from individuals who had an interaction with a local police officer, either through a traffic stop or a call for service. Choosing either a self-administered online survey or a computer assisted telephone interview, respondents answer several questions about the interaction, and their perceptions of police locally and globally, police misconduct observed, bias, and questions on neighborhood context. Using interaction effects to better understand this relationship, we hope to address policy issues affecting how police can better serve their community.

Authors

• Candace E Griffith, Augusta University

• Allison Foley, Augusta University