Divine Justice: The Sacred, the Secular, and Trust in the Judiciary

• In Event: Rehabilitation and trust in the judiciary

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between religion and trust in the judiciary using quantitative survey analysis with UK data from the most recent wave of the European Values Study (EVS). Trust in the judiciary is a key component of democratic governance and social stability, yet there is little research into the factors that influence judicial trust, particularly from the perspective of religious identity. This study utilizes a nationally representative survey of over 1,500 participants, and examines how religious beliefs and affiliations correlate with perceptions of judicial fairness. Through advanced statistical techniques, including regression analysis, the paper identifies patterns and variations in trust levels among different religious groups, controlling for variables including gender, marital status, education, and socioeconomic status.

Preliminary findings suggest that religious beliefs significantly influence trust in the judiciary, with members of certain groups expressing higher or lower levels of confidence in the judicial system. Moreover, the paper investigates whether the degree of religiosity—measured by frequency of religious practice and personal belief—affects trust in the judiciary.

This research contributes to the growing body of literature on the intersection of religion and politics by offering a nuanced understanding of how religious identity shapes this key component of overall civic trust. It also provides policymakers and judicial reformers with valuable insights into the cultural factors that shape public perceptions of the judiciary, informing strategies for fostering greater public confidence in legal institutions.

Author

• Mark Littler, University of Greenwich