Poster #20 - Differential Network Structure of Police Misconduct based on Type

• In Event: Poster Session I (posters 1 - 79)

Abstract

Research often shows that police misconduct is linked to the network structure within police departments. Interaction with deviant peers increases an officer’s likelihood of misconduct, and misconduct tends to cluster among small groups of officers. However, police misconduct is a broad category that includes many behaviors we might see as deviant, but little research has examined the social influence mechanisms that might make different kinds of misconduct more or less contagious. I propose a theoretical argument that types of misconduct will spread through different discussion processes, with differential risk and role configuration serving as the mechanisms. Role-congruent forms of misconduct, such as the use of force, are routine; officers develop working scripts for situations through experience and interactions with colleagues. Their occupational role may justify behavior, helping to reduce the perceived risk associated with deviance. Conversely, criminal misconduct, such as bribery and corruption, often carries more severe sanctions and is incongruent with the expectations of the role. Therefore, these forms of misconduct will require a denser sub-community with strong ties to normalize deviance. This theory is tested through an analysis of data from the Chicago Police Department.

Author

• Felix Matthew Enterkin, Northwestern University