Extending the Reach of the Police Empowerment Hypothesis: Lessons from a Random Sample of U.S. Residents

• In Event: Politics, Economics, Criminal Justice, and Public Opinion

Abstract

A substantial body of research has explored the relationship between procedural justice, police legitimacy, and public cooperation. These studies indicate that procedural justice is a fundamental precursor to police legitimacy, subsequently influencing public cooperation with law enforcement. However, another consequence of police legitimacy that has garnered less scholarly attention is police empowerment. This study utilizes a nationally representative sample of U.S. residents to evaluate the effects of procedural justice and obligation to obey on police empowerment. Recent research has also highlighted the role of political ideology in shaping public perceptions of the police. The findings reveal that respondents who perceive U.S. police as more procedurally just and possess a stronger internalized sense of obligation to obey are more inclined to empower law enforcement. Furthermore, individuals who identified their political ideology as "Not sure," and those who described themselves as conservative or very conservative, demonstrated a greater willingness to empower the U.S. police. The implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Authors

• Daniel Pryce, Old Dominion University

• Joselyne Chenane, University of Massachusetts Lowell