“This Time, Our Minds Are Still On It:” Social Media and Vicarious Experiences of Police Encounters

• In Event: Social Media and the Social Construction of Crime

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which adolescents’ perceptions of policing are related to their exposure to policing on social media. Scholars have demonstrated that both direct and vicarious experiences are important in shaping attitudes toward police and perceptions of legitimacy. Media reports can serve as a vehicle for vicarious experiences by communicating information through the framing process. Social media is a relatively new and evolving technology that has created a gap in the literature on attitudes and perceptions. Using semi-structured interviews and a grounded theory approach, 27 adolescents (ages 15-17) were asked about their perceptions of policing and the experiences that have shaped those perceptions. Youth from both disadvantaged and advantaged backgrounds discussed the role that social media plays in communicating information and changing attitudes. Social media served as a filter for the type of vicarious experiences that were observed, which was especially impactful for those who lacked direct experience with police. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.

Author

• Sara Margret Hockin, Georgia State University