Exploring the Role of Social Networks in Violence Against Police

• In Event: Crime and Social Networks

Abstract

Across the world, authorities express growing concerns over the alarming rise in incidents of violence targeting police. Violence against police carries significant and far-reaching psychosocial, physical, and societal consequences, underscoring the need for prevention and insight into underlying dynamics. A completely unexamined factor impacting physical violence against police officers is the role of social networks. Recent victimological research among civilian populations demonstrates that the likelihood of falling victim to physical violence is transmitted within social networks, resulting in individuals in social proximity of violence victims experiencing an increased probability of victimization themselves. Police research has examined and established this influence of social networks solely for the use of force and professional misconduct by police officers, but not for physical violence against police officers. We therefore apply social network analysis to examine the possible transmission of victimization of physical violence between police officers. We will present the results of our analyses at the conference.

Authors

• Isabo Goormans, Ghent University

• Christophe Vandeviver, Ghent University

• Arjan Blokland, NSCR

• Wouter Steenbeek, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement