Putting Theory into Attitudes Toward the Police

• In Event: Poster Session II

Abstract

There has been a consistent criticism that criminal justice research is often atheoretical. For example, Marenin and Worrall (1998), “criminal justice is an academic discipline in practice but not yet in theory” (p. 465). One area of criminal justice that has exemplified this atheoretical approach to research is attitudes toward the police. In this research, we apply Klinger’s (1997) approach to police vigor to attitudes toward the police. We argue that attitudes toward the police are shaped by ecological factors which include normal crimes, victim deservedness, and cynicism about the police. Results and implications are discussed.

Authors

• Daniel Joseph Lytle, Ball State University

• Jonathan Intravia, Ball State University