Typology of support for the use of force and police procedural justice among residents of São Paulo, Brazil

• In Event: Satisfaction with, Trust in, and Cooperation with Police

Abstract

Several Brazilian studies highlight how public support for the abusive use of force is one of the main problems in promoting democratic policing. High police lethality and frequent cases of police brutality are seen by part of the population as an effective instrument for controlling crime and violence in the country. The demands and perceptions about who should be the target of repression and who should be the focus of protection are absorbed by politics, creating incentives and patterns of police action. At the same time, recent studies point out that procedural justice is a horizon shared by citizens: a portion of Brazilian population who expect the police to act more equitably, respectfully, politely and neutrally in their daily activities. These two dimensions may seem contradictory. However, in an extremely unequal society like Brazil, it is necessary to question whether the parameters of what is desirable in the relationship with the police vary according to individual perceptions and expectations about the use of force and, consequently, about order. Therefore, we ask whether, in this context, what is modeled and desired as police action can be combined with support for tougher standards of action. Based on data from a survey conducted in the city of São Paulo in 2022 (N=1806), we sought to identify whether there are groups formed by individuals who behave differently in the face of issues related to the use of force in certain situations and perception of procedural justice. Preliminary results from Latent Class Analysis have allowed us to identify four groups. In addition, gender, age, race, education and confidence in the police are characteristics that make it possible to differentiate one group from another. The implication of these results for understanding the challenges to expanding standards of democratic policing in Brazilian society will be discussed.

Authors

• Frederico Castelo Branco, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

• Viviane de Oliveira Cubas, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

• André Oliveira, University of São Paulo