Educational Tracking and Juvenile Attitudes toward the Police in China

• In Event: Students’ Perceptions of Police Legitimacy and Conduct

Abstract

Juvenile attitudes toward the police (JATP) has become an important research topic in policing. In spite of an increasing amount of research literature on JATP, the influence of educational tracking on juveniles’ rating of the police has received limited scholarly attention. Previous studies have suggested that vocational school students and regular high school students differ noticeably in their backgrounds, behaviors, and perceptions. Using the survey data of 3,628 students from vocational schools and regular high schools in a southwestern Chinese city, this study examines how educational tracking influences juvenile attitudes toward the police. The results suggest that vocational school students hold more positive views toward the police in comparison with their regular high school counterparts and school context played a significant role in shaping their respective attitudes.

Authors

• Fei Luo, Texas A&M International University

• Ling Ren, Sam Houston State University