The Impact of Anti-Police Social Movements on Students’ Crime Reporting Intentions

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

Abstract

Authorities rely upon community members to make them aware of criminal activity, particularly when there are juvenile victims. An important component that influences crime reporting is positive perceptions of the police. With the death of George Floyd and the social movement that followed, citizen attitudes towards law enforcement waned. Understanding the key role perceptions of the police play in reporting crime, this paper seeks to examine whether the George Floyd movement impacted middle school students’ willingness to report crime to authorities. Using data from the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative implemented in a Midwestern county, the present study uses a hierarchical model-building approach to compare students’ crime reporting intentions from 2019 to 2020. Implications for the impact of anti-police social movements on juveniles’ willingness to notify authorities of criminal activity will be discussed.

Authors

• Rosa Isabel Rivera, Michigan State University

• Chris Melde, Michigan State University