Anticipating (In)justice: Unpacking Expectations of Police Treatment

• In Event: Police-Citizen Encounters

Abstract

Research has found that procedurally-just policing can promote willingness to cooperate with police. However, if citizens enter police encounters with a belief that they will receive poor treatment, such pre-suppositions may diminish willingness to cooperate. This may be particularly the case for those who feel disengaged or targeted by police, such as Muslims living in the West. As police agencies strive to work alongside such groups, understanding the views that minority members bring with them into interactions is integral to promoting effective police-citizen encounters. Drawing on survey data from 800 Muslims in Australia, we examine differences in willingness to voluntarily cooperate with police in criminal investigations. More specifically, we examine whether expectations of unfair treatment differently predict willingness to cooperate with police between young Muslims (aged 18-25) and Muslim adults (aged 25 and older), questioning whether young people anticipate greater injustice than do adults and in turn are less willing to cooperate with police. We find that young Muslims are more likely than older Muslims to anticipate injustice by police. The findings suggest that police may need to use different approaches to engagement and trust building during encounters with younger Muslim people. Implications for theory and police practice are discussed.

Authors

• Natasha Madon, Griffith University

• Kristina Murphy, Griffith University

• Adrian Cherney, University of Queensland