Prior Views and Encounter-Specific Information as Predictors of Encounter-Specific Assessments of Police-Provided Procedural Justice

• In Event: Perception, Identity, and Encounter-Specific Legitimacy

Abstract

The importance of citizens’ subjective assessment that they were treated fairly in specific encounters with the police is well established. However, the interplay between prior views of police legitimacy/procedural justice (PJ) and PJ cues displayed by the police during the encounter, as predictors of encounter-specific, subjective assessments of police-provided PJ remains unclear. The present study addresses this gap using data from a vignette survey experiment, in which the vignettes vary on level of PJ displayed by the officers. The analysis reveals that both main IVs are important predictors of encounter-specific assessments of PJ. However, there are significant interaction effects: the more PJ cues displayed by the officer – the less initial attitudes matter, and the less favorable initial views are - the stronger the impact of PJ cues displayed during the encounter. These findings bear an optimistic message for police seeking to improve citizens’ subjective assessments of PJ in specific encounters.

Authors

• Tal Jonathan-Zamir, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Naomi Kaplan-Damary, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Gali Perry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem