The Unintended Consequences of Policing

Session Submission Type: Pre-arranged Panel

Abstract

Despite common assumptions, we know surprisingly little about the broader social and psychological consequences of policing. While police interactions are often framed as mechanisms for crime control and public safety, research increasingly highlights unintended harms - both direct, for those subjected to police contact, and indirect, for those who witness or hear about such encounters. This panel brings together four studies that examine the connections between policing, adverse outcomes, and public attitudes toward police. Together, these papers reveal the unintended consequences of policing, particularly in marginalised communities, among young people, and in shaping public trust in the police. The first paper explores the dual impact of police procedural injustice on crime victims, showing how such encounters both harm mental health and foster feelings of social exclusion. The second paper examines how public awareness of policing’s harm to others – specifically victims of crime - influences general perceptions of the police, finding that exposure to stories of unjust policing reduces trust and legitimacy. The third paper investigates the long-term effects of repeated police stops during adolescence, demonstrating how early and frequent police contact contributes to legal cynicism and distrust in authority over time. The fourth paper extends this discussion by analysing how witnessing police violence affects adolescents' perceptions of legal legitimacy and their likelihood of engaging in criminal behaviour. Together, these studies contribute to ongoing conversations about the unintended consequences of policing by providing data-driven insights into its effects on mental health, youth development, and public trust. The findings underscore the need for a more thoughtful, evidence-based approach to policing - one that minimises harm and fosters public confidence in the justice system.

Subtopic

• Topic 5: Social Control and Criminal Justice / Policing and Law enforcement (Policing WG)

Chair

• Ben Bradford, University College London

Individual Presentations

• The dual impact of procedural injustice: police procedural injustice harms the mental health of crime victims and induces feelings of exclusion - Arabella Kyprianides, University College London; Ben Bradford, University College London

• ‘I can see that it’s bad for them’: Third party judgements about the effect of procedural injustice on mental health and relationships with the police - Ben Bradford, University College London; Arabella Kyprianides, University College London

• Cumulative injustice? Police stops and the development of legal cynicism in the life course - Thiago Oliveira, University of Manchester

• Police violence, criminal offending, and adolescent legal socialization - Jonathan Jackson, London School of Economics; Thiago Oliveira, University of Manchester