The Impact of Proactive Policing on Police Legitimacy and Fear of Crime

• In Event: Crime and Place: Focusing Efforts and Resources

Abstract

There has been a recent trend in the literature focusing on the importance of police legitimacy and procedural justice, with some research suggesting that the use of proactive policing may have a negative impact on residents’ perceptions of police (Tyler, Jackson & Mentovich, 2015). While some research finds no negative impact of specific proactive policing tactics (Weisburd et al., 2011), less is known about the potential negative impacts of proactive policing more generally. Examining data from both a large resident survey in Baltimore City, and street-level police proactivity as reported by the police department, we aim to examine the impact of proactive policing on resident perceptions of police legitimacy and fear of crime. We are particularly interested in whether police proactivity is perceived differently between hot spots and cool spots of crime.

Authors

• Sean Wire, George Mason University

• David Weisburd, Hebrew University and George Mason University