Crime types, situational context, and mechanisms for cooperation with the police

• In Event: POLWG Panel 3: Trust in policing: Reflections on police legitimacy and procedural justice

Abstract

Research suggests that when individuals perceive the police as legitimate, they are more likely to cooperate with the police, including calling them to report crimes they have witnessed. However, few have examined how situational, contextual factors may influence decision-making to take action and cooperate. Drawing from the guardianship and bystander literatures, a person’s willingness to intervene can be based on how that person interprets the scenario and its social, physical and economic risks. In addition, we know that ethnic minorities and individuals with a migration background are less likely to cooperate with the police compared to native-born residents. For first-generation migrants, experiences with police in their country of origin may in part explain how they interpret the situation and perceive different risks involved in cooperation. This paper therefore examines how situational characteristics of a witnessed crime influence the likelihood of cooperation with the police, and how these processes might operate differently among migrants from countries with high insecurity. We employ a 3x2^6 between-persons vignette design among a representative sample of UK residents, and a booster sample of first-generation migrants. The factors reflect both theoretical mechanisms that should motivate cooperation as well as background information that could confound the causal effects of the main treatment variables (social context, crime rates, situation). Respondents will be asked to rate how likely they would be in this scenario to take action: direct intervention, calling the police, cooperating with the police during the investigation, testifying in court. Following each action question, we will include an open-ended question asking respondents to explain their reasoning behind their selected answer. This approach allows us to further probe the underlying reasoning and mechanisms driving willingness to intervene and cooperate with the police. Results will be discussed in light of research on bystander intervention and cooperation with the police.

Authors

• Amy Nivette, Utrecht University

• Idris Güçlü, Utrecht University

• Isabelle van der Vegt, Utrecht University