Fear of Police among Latinx Communities: An Examination of Viewing Media Reporting

• In Event: Poster Session 1

Abstract

To date, very few researchers have explored the fear of police among Latinx communities in the context of viewing police media reports. Addressing this research gap, this study examines the of fear of police based on the type of police media reports that the Latinx community views. Using a survey sample of Latinx young adults (N= 210), I investigated various media repertoires as well as other contributing variables, such as nationality and political views, as they related to fears toward police officers. The findings showed that having preconceived negative perceptions of police had a significant association with a higher level of fear toward police. Results also showed that native U.S. born Latinx individuals are more fearful toward police compared to non-U.S. born Latinx individuals, specifically when viewing unfair portrayals and negative police encounters in media. Policy implications are provided.

Author

• Isaac Gabriel Romero, University of Oklahoma