The Perspectives of Street-Identified Black Young Adults on Reporting Crimes to Police

• In Event: Enhancing Police Legitimacy and Procedural Justice in Black-American Communities

Abstract

According to the process-based model of police legitimacy, when citizens perceive the police as fair and effective, they are more likely to view the police as legitimate and notify them about crimes in their communities. While prior research has confirmed that positive perceptions of police influence crime reporting, gaps persist. Specifically, it is less clear whether and how this notion about crime reporting is shaped by individuals' direct experiences with police, exposure to violence, views about crime and violence in their communities, and overall attitudes toward reporting to police. This study examines these questions among mainly street-identified Black men and women between the ages of 16 and 24 in Wilmington, Delaware, who participated in a total of (1) twenty-six individual interviews, (2) two dual interviews, and (3) three group interviews as part of a larger street participatory action research (Street PAR) project. Examining this topic among urban Black young adults is critical, given their greater vulnerability to violence and unfavorable views of police officers relative to older age cohorts. The implications of improving ongoing policing tactics in ways that better meet the needs of this population will be discussed.

Authors

• Raven Lewis, Rutgers University

• Yasser Arafat Payne, University of Delaware