Police stops and attitudes towards police: experimental evidence among individuals stopped by police in São Paulo - CANCELLED

• In Event: Procedural Justice Across Global and Local Contexts

Abstract

This study examines how procedural fairness and efficacy in police actions affect attitudes towards the police among individuals with recent encounters in São Paulo, Brazil, using experimental vignettes. Eight vignettes (2x2x2) manipulated fairness and effectiveness in hypothetical police interactions and were randomly assigned to participants. The study aimed to assess whether prior police encounters shape interpretations of these scenarios, testing three hypotheses: procedural fairness improves attitudes; police outcomes improve attitudes; and procedural fairness in the most recent encounter affects attitudes. The results so far indicate that, among those who had recent police contact, procedural fairness and outcomes in the vignettes have a significantly positive effect on perceptions of respectful treatment by the police, evaluations of police performance, and judgments that police stops are an important strategy for addressing crime. Additionally, evaluations of procedural fairness in recent encounters also have a significant effect on attitudes regarding respect, assessments of police actions, and judgments about policing. These findings reinforce previous experimental results, highlighting the strong influence that past experiences with the police have on overall attitudes. Given São Paulo's long-standing focus on the stop-and-frisk strategy, both the frequency and quality of police contacts significantly shape perceptions of procedural justice during these interactions.

Author

• Frederico Castelo Branco, Universidade de São Paulo