How Public Opinion Shapes Discriminatory Policing”

• In Event: Justice and Injustice: Political Science Perspectives on Crime and Punishment Mini-Conference: The Electoral Connection: Democratic Control of Criminal Justice Elites

Abstract

Why do the police discriminate against racial minorities? Unlike existing studies, which focus on
explicit or implicit biases among the police, I argue that racial discrimination depends in a
conditional way on the extent of egalitarian views among the police and the public. To test the
implications of my theory, I conduct an innovative survey experiment with American law
enforcement administrators and elected officials who oversee the police. As predicted, elected
politicians exhibit less racial discrimination in law enforcement oversight when informed that the
public supports racial equality in policing. Contrary to my theory, though, police do not react to
perceived public demand for egalitarianism. Overall, my results suggest that public attitudes
toward racial equality influence police discrimination only indirectly, through the institutions that
monitor and check their power. My paper contributes to the growing interdisciplinary
literature
on the politics of policing by illuminating how public opinion shapes law enforcement outcomes.

Author

• Charles David Crabtree, Dartmouth College