In 2020 governments worldwide implemented various laws and social distancing restrictions to cont... more In 2020 governments worldwide implemented various laws and social distancing restrictions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. At the same time, conspiracy theories emerged purporting that authorities were using the COVID-19 pandemic to permanently control or harm citizens. These conspiracies undermined government responses to the pandemic and in some cases elicited civil disobedience. Using survey data from 779 Australians collected eight months into the pandemic, we examined the relationship between conspiracy beliefs, trust in the government, and duty to comply with authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined whether trust in government moderated the association between conspiracy beliefs and duty to comply. We found that those prone to conspiracy theory beliefs and who distrusted government were less likely to comply with authorities during the pandemic. We also found that trust in the government moderated the negative relationship between conspiracy belie...
Some immigrants can be reluctant to cooperate with the police due to experiences of social exclus... more Some immigrants can be reluctant to cooperate with the police due to experiences of social exclusion and discrimination. Procedural justice scholars argue that people cooperate with police when they feel the police are just and fair because such treatment motivates identification with social categories that police represent. In this paper, we consider whether immigrants in Australia respond favourably to procedurally just treatment from police because it enhances their identification with both Australia and the police. Using survey data from 903 Vietnamese, Middle Eastern and British immigrants, we demonstrate an association between police procedural justice and both modes of identification. We also find that both identities mediate the relationship between procedural justice and cooperation. The implications of these findings are discussed.
ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of retirement on police officers. Using semi-structured i... more ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of retirement on police officers. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 police retirees from Queensland, Australia, we explore the impacts of retirement on police officers’ sense of wellbeing as well as the coping strategies utilised by retirees in the transition from paid employment to retirement. We found experiences of retirement varied amongst participants depending on the role they had whilst policing, the type of social interactions they had pre and post retirement and their financial position. Common themes include conflicting emotions, relevance deficit, anger and disappointment, financial issues and the loss of social networks. Coping mechanisms involved psychological counselling, expanding external social networks and seeking out other interests and hobbies in the lead up to/upon retirement. We suggest these findings can enable policing organisations to provide improved support for police officers leading up to retirement.
Procedural justice is known to enhance perceptions of police legitimacy. Studies show that proced... more Procedural justice is known to enhance perceptions of police legitimacy. Studies show that procedural justice may be less effective for some individuals and groups, while others show it to be more effective. This study investigates the contingency of the procedural justice effect and considers the effectiveness of procedural justice for certain individuals through the concept of disengagement. Utilizing a survey of 1480 ethnic minority group members, the study tests whether or not disengagement moderates the effect of procedural justice on perceptions of police legitimacy. As expected, we find procedural justice is linked to enhanced perceptions of police legitimacy, while disengagement is associated with reduced perceptions of legitimacy. Interestingly, the study finds that procedural justice is more effective for building legitimacy for ethnic minority respondents who report being highly disengaged from police. These findings highlight how police might be able to improve perceptio...
Policing and collective efficacy: The relative importance of police effectiveness, procedural jus... more Policing and collective efficacy: The relative importance of police effectiveness, procedural justice, and the obligation to obey police The role of police in building collective efficacy remains an unanswered question. This paper employs a sample of 4,403 people living in 148 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia, to examine the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy. Results indicate that even when controlling for neighbourhood compositional and structural characteristics, trust in police effectiveness and procedural justice are the key variables explaining collective efficacy. Although trust in police effectiveness and procedural justice does not predict neighbourhood differences in collective efficacy, they do explain variations in perceptions of collective efficacy among those residents in a given neighbourhood. These findings reveal that when people trust the police are effective and procedurally just, they are more likely to view their neighbourhoods as collectively efficacious. This research suggests that police can help to encourage collective efficacy, and potentially reduce crime, by communicating their effectiveness and delivering procedural justice to citizens.
This dissertation examines the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy... more This dissertation examines the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy using a mixed methods research design. This design involves two interconnected research studies: Study 1 is qualitative and Study 2 is quantitative. As prior research rarely considers the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy, Study 1 is exploratory. Through qualitative interviews with residents and key informants in two purposively selected communities in Brisbane, Australia, I investigate the parameters of the policing-collective efficacy relationship. Accounts of participants indicate policing strategies and perceptions of police legitimacy and effectiveness, are useful to consider when determining the correlates of collective efficacy. I also find police enforcement strategies may lead to negative perceptions of police, and are detrimental to the willingness of community residents to intervene in community problems. Alternatively, community policing strategies may be useful only insofar as they empower citizens to intervene. Lastly, what the police do in communities and how they are perceived is not as crucial to collective efficacy as structural characteristics, particularly structural disadvantage. As long as communities experience disadvantage they may feel disempowered to access formal controls or to intervene informally. The findings of Study 1 lead me to construct eight hypotheses about the contours of the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy. These hypotheses are tested in Study 2. Utilising survey data collected from 4,167 residents of 148 communities and crime and census statistics, I examine the relationship between police legitimacy, police effectiveness, policing strategies and collective efficacy. Corroborating findings from Study 1, trust in police and perceptions of police enforcement strategies are the key policing variables that explain variations in collective efficacy across communities. I conclude that, while structural disadvantage is central to community capacity, police may have a positive influence on collective efficacy by improving trust in police and working with the community to empower residents to deal with community problems. I suggest Third-Party Policing and community policing strategies may be employed to increase trust in police and police-community collaboration, and reduce the negative connotations of police-led regulation.
The ECS survey is designed to examine ethnic minority participants' attitudes and perceptions reg... more The ECS survey is designed to examine ethnic minority participants' attitudes and perceptions regarding the following topics: a) community capacity; b) community attachment; c) community relationships; d) police (including legitimacy, procedural justice, police effectiveness), the law and cooperation with police; e) perceptions of local government; f) community diversity; g) community problems and action around problems; h) victimisation; and i) community services. While the ECS is related to the broader ACCS, in this report we focus specifically on the survey methodology and preliminary findings of the ECS. The ECS sampled three ethnic groups. These were people from Indian, Vietnamese and Arabic-speaking backgrounds. These cultural groups were purposively selected as they are known to have experienced problematic relationships with the police and with the majority population in Australia (e.g.
BACKGROUND Briefly describe and define the problem The extant criminological literature clearly s... more BACKGROUND Briefly describe and define the problem The extant criminological literature clearly shows that building police legitimacy in communities and places is important for increasing citizen levels of compliance, cooperation and satisfaction (see Jackson, Bradford, Stanko, & Hohl, 2012). A growing body of research indicates that when police are viewed as respectful, concerned, and possessing legitimate authority, citizens are more likely to hold favourable attitudes toward police and comply with the law. Increasing the perceptions of police legitimacy within the community may both reduce community levels of crime and increase the willingness of the community to control and prevent crime (Sunshine & Tyler, 2003; Tyler & Fagan, 2008). When police are perceived as legitimate, citizens feel an obligation to voluntarily comply with their directives, and it is suggested that the indirect effects include a reduction in crime, reoffending and social disorder (Mazerolle, Bennett, Davis, Sargeant, & Manning, 2013). Our proposed review aims to assess whether or not interventions aimed at promoting police legitimacy reduce the levels of crime and disorder in communities and places...
Physical distancing measures have become the first line of defence for slowing COVID-19 virus tra... more Physical distancing measures have become the first line of defence for slowing COVID-19 virus transmission. However, studies have demonstrated that compliance with physical distancing restrictions has not been uniform. Police have also encountered widespread resentment of the restrictions, defiance, and people purposefully flouting restrictions. In this study, we examined factors associated with compliance with COVID-19 restrictions among those who held defiant attitudes toward police during the early stages of the pandemic in Australia. The study draws on survey data collected from 1595 Australians during the initial lockdown period in Australia. Regression analysis was applied to determine if two forms of defiance toward police (resistance and disengagement) were associated with reduced compliance with restrictions while controlling for other known correlates of compliance. We also identified factors that were associated with compliance among highly resistant and disengaged individuals. Findings indicate that defiant individuals were significantly less likely to comply with physical distancing restrictions. Among highly resistant and disengaged individuals, recent police-initiated encounters that were deemed to be procedurally unjust were also associated with reduced compliance. In addition, highly disengaged individuals were less likely to comply if they were concerned about ongoing loss of freedoms post-COVID-19. The implications of the findings for defiance and compliance research, as well as for COVID-19 policing strategies, are discussed.
Policing by consent has long been viewed as a fundamental feature of modern policing. Police need... more Policing by consent has long been viewed as a fundamental feature of modern policing. Police need citizens to report crime and suspicious activity and to assist police with their enquiries. The procedural justice model is commonly employed to explain cooperation with police, yet few studies consider how social context informs cooperation. In this study we examine the role of contextual factors in developing a better understanding of the procedural justice model of cooperation with police. To do so we compare results in two contexts: St Louis County (US) and Brisbane (Australia). We find similarities and differences in the way contextual factors (including feelings of insecurity and social cohesion and trust) impact the willingness to assist police across our two research sites.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Fairness and equity are key concerns in modern liberal democracies. In step with this general tre... more Fairness and equity are key concerns in modern liberal democracies. In step with this general trend, academics and practitioners have long been concerned with the fairness of procedures utilized by the criminal justice system. Definitions vary, but procedural justice is loosely defined as fair treatment and fair decision-making by authorities. In the criminal justice system, the procedural justice of authorities such as police officers, judicial officers, and correctional officers is evaluated by members of the public. Procedural justice in the criminal justice system is viewed as an end in and of itself, but it is also an opportunity to yield various outcomes including legitimacy, public compliance with the law, cooperation with criminal justice officials, and satisfaction with criminal justice proceedings and outcomes.
On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19)... more On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) a global pandemic. At the time of writing, over 16 million cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed worldwide, and more than 650,000 people had died from the virus. A priority amongst governments globally is limiting the spread of the virus. In Australia, this response included mandatory ‘lockdown’ restrictions which limited citizens’ freedom of movement. This article uses survey data from 1595 Australians to examine compliance with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the early stages of the pandemic. Results revealed that a substantial number of Australians did not comply fully with the measures. Further, while self-interest and health concerns motivated compliance, normative concerns regarding duty to support the authorities dominated compliance decisions. The findings’ implications for both compliance research and for authorities wanting to nurture voluntary compliance with public health o...
The public rely on the police to enforce the law, and the police rely on the public to report cri... more The public rely on the police to enforce the law, and the police rely on the public to report crime and assist them with their enquiries. Police action or inaction can also impact on public willingness to informally intervene in community problems. In this paper we examine the formal-informal control nexus in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on a survey sample of 1,595 Australians during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, we examine the relationship between police effectiveness, collective efficacy, and public willingness to intervene when others violate lockdown restrictions. We find that perceptions of police effectiveness in handling the COVID-19 crisis has a positive impact on the public’s willingness to intervene when others violate lockdown restrictions.
Research Question Did a values education programme taught to Queensland police recruits change th... more Research Question Did a values education programme taught to Queensland police recruits change their attitudes towards police workplace diversity and equality, relative to recruits in the same cohorts who did not receive the programme? Data A survey designed to measure attitudes towards workplace diversity and related issues was administered three times to 260 police recruits, who were randomly assigned to receive a values education programme or not over the 25-week initial police recruit course. The surveys were conducted in week two of the course, at the conclusion of the values education programme and six weeks after the programme concluded. Methods Three separate cohorts were split by batch random assignment into experimental and controls, for 132 experimental recruits and 128 controls. Using a variety of validated scales and items, the attitudes of the two groups were compared at all three survey waves and in comparative longitudinal trends. Findings While the values education programme did not improve experimental group recruit attitudes towards diversity in the workplace over time, it protected that group from a clear decline in support for diversity associated with the standard recruit training experience. Because the design was a randomized controlled trial (RCT), the study clearly revealed that the benefit of the programme was as a successful buffer against what happened to reduce diversity support among the other recruits. Conclusions The findings show that in at least one police recruit experience, there is a clear shift away from support for diversity by race and gender in the police workplace in the course of initial training. Fortunately, the results also provide at least one possible preventative measure for that problem, in the form of a values education programme similar to one used widely in many countries.
The present study examines the moderating effect of a police recruit cultural training program on... more The present study examines the moderating effect of a police recruit cultural training program on the relationship between procedural justice and compliance with police supervisors. We expect that providing cultural training will moderate the relationship between procedural justice and "hard" compliance. Methods: Participants were police recruits at the Queensland Police Academy who were randomly assigned to an experimental (Voice 4 Values) or control condition (business-asusual training) upon entry into the academy. Recruits in both groups were surveyed pre-and post-training to capture perceptions of procedural justice and compliance with supervisors. Results: Results suggest that procedural justice mattered less for predicting "hard" or unthinking compliance among the recruits who received the Voice 4 Values cultural training package, compared to those who did not receive the training. Conclusions: We conclude that while procedural justice may be of interest to policing organizations, it is important that it is not used as a tool to encourage unthinking compliance. We find cultural training reduces the effect of procedural justice on unthinking or "hard" compliance.
In 2020 governments worldwide implemented various laws and social distancing restrictions to cont... more In 2020 governments worldwide implemented various laws and social distancing restrictions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. At the same time, conspiracy theories emerged purporting that authorities were using the COVID-19 pandemic to permanently control or harm citizens. These conspiracies undermined government responses to the pandemic and in some cases elicited civil disobedience. Using survey data from 779 Australians collected eight months into the pandemic, we examined the relationship between conspiracy beliefs, trust in the government, and duty to comply with authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined whether trust in government moderated the association between conspiracy beliefs and duty to comply. We found that those prone to conspiracy theory beliefs and who distrusted government were less likely to comply with authorities during the pandemic. We also found that trust in the government moderated the negative relationship between conspiracy belie...
Some immigrants can be reluctant to cooperate with the police due to experiences of social exclus... more Some immigrants can be reluctant to cooperate with the police due to experiences of social exclusion and discrimination. Procedural justice scholars argue that people cooperate with police when they feel the police are just and fair because such treatment motivates identification with social categories that police represent. In this paper, we consider whether immigrants in Australia respond favourably to procedurally just treatment from police because it enhances their identification with both Australia and the police. Using survey data from 903 Vietnamese, Middle Eastern and British immigrants, we demonstrate an association between police procedural justice and both modes of identification. We also find that both identities mediate the relationship between procedural justice and cooperation. The implications of these findings are discussed.
ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of retirement on police officers. Using semi-structured i... more ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of retirement on police officers. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 police retirees from Queensland, Australia, we explore the impacts of retirement on police officers’ sense of wellbeing as well as the coping strategies utilised by retirees in the transition from paid employment to retirement. We found experiences of retirement varied amongst participants depending on the role they had whilst policing, the type of social interactions they had pre and post retirement and their financial position. Common themes include conflicting emotions, relevance deficit, anger and disappointment, financial issues and the loss of social networks. Coping mechanisms involved psychological counselling, expanding external social networks and seeking out other interests and hobbies in the lead up to/upon retirement. We suggest these findings can enable policing organisations to provide improved support for police officers leading up to retirement.
Procedural justice is known to enhance perceptions of police legitimacy. Studies show that proced... more Procedural justice is known to enhance perceptions of police legitimacy. Studies show that procedural justice may be less effective for some individuals and groups, while others show it to be more effective. This study investigates the contingency of the procedural justice effect and considers the effectiveness of procedural justice for certain individuals through the concept of disengagement. Utilizing a survey of 1480 ethnic minority group members, the study tests whether or not disengagement moderates the effect of procedural justice on perceptions of police legitimacy. As expected, we find procedural justice is linked to enhanced perceptions of police legitimacy, while disengagement is associated with reduced perceptions of legitimacy. Interestingly, the study finds that procedural justice is more effective for building legitimacy for ethnic minority respondents who report being highly disengaged from police. These findings highlight how police might be able to improve perceptio...
Policing and collective efficacy: The relative importance of police effectiveness, procedural jus... more Policing and collective efficacy: The relative importance of police effectiveness, procedural justice, and the obligation to obey police The role of police in building collective efficacy remains an unanswered question. This paper employs a sample of 4,403 people living in 148 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia, to examine the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy. Results indicate that even when controlling for neighbourhood compositional and structural characteristics, trust in police effectiveness and procedural justice are the key variables explaining collective efficacy. Although trust in police effectiveness and procedural justice does not predict neighbourhood differences in collective efficacy, they do explain variations in perceptions of collective efficacy among those residents in a given neighbourhood. These findings reveal that when people trust the police are effective and procedurally just, they are more likely to view their neighbourhoods as collectively efficacious. This research suggests that police can help to encourage collective efficacy, and potentially reduce crime, by communicating their effectiveness and delivering procedural justice to citizens.
This dissertation examines the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy... more This dissertation examines the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy using a mixed methods research design. This design involves two interconnected research studies: Study 1 is qualitative and Study 2 is quantitative. As prior research rarely considers the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy, Study 1 is exploratory. Through qualitative interviews with residents and key informants in two purposively selected communities in Brisbane, Australia, I investigate the parameters of the policing-collective efficacy relationship. Accounts of participants indicate policing strategies and perceptions of police legitimacy and effectiveness, are useful to consider when determining the correlates of collective efficacy. I also find police enforcement strategies may lead to negative perceptions of police, and are detrimental to the willingness of community residents to intervene in community problems. Alternatively, community policing strategies may be useful only insofar as they empower citizens to intervene. Lastly, what the police do in communities and how they are perceived is not as crucial to collective efficacy as structural characteristics, particularly structural disadvantage. As long as communities experience disadvantage they may feel disempowered to access formal controls or to intervene informally. The findings of Study 1 lead me to construct eight hypotheses about the contours of the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy. These hypotheses are tested in Study 2. Utilising survey data collected from 4,167 residents of 148 communities and crime and census statistics, I examine the relationship between police legitimacy, police effectiveness, policing strategies and collective efficacy. Corroborating findings from Study 1, trust in police and perceptions of police enforcement strategies are the key policing variables that explain variations in collective efficacy across communities. I conclude that, while structural disadvantage is central to community capacity, police may have a positive influence on collective efficacy by improving trust in police and working with the community to empower residents to deal with community problems. I suggest Third-Party Policing and community policing strategies may be employed to increase trust in police and police-community collaboration, and reduce the negative connotations of police-led regulation.
The ECS survey is designed to examine ethnic minority participants' attitudes and perceptions reg... more The ECS survey is designed to examine ethnic minority participants' attitudes and perceptions regarding the following topics: a) community capacity; b) community attachment; c) community relationships; d) police (including legitimacy, procedural justice, police effectiveness), the law and cooperation with police; e) perceptions of local government; f) community diversity; g) community problems and action around problems; h) victimisation; and i) community services. While the ECS is related to the broader ACCS, in this report we focus specifically on the survey methodology and preliminary findings of the ECS. The ECS sampled three ethnic groups. These were people from Indian, Vietnamese and Arabic-speaking backgrounds. These cultural groups were purposively selected as they are known to have experienced problematic relationships with the police and with the majority population in Australia (e.g.
BACKGROUND Briefly describe and define the problem The extant criminological literature clearly s... more BACKGROUND Briefly describe and define the problem The extant criminological literature clearly shows that building police legitimacy in communities and places is important for increasing citizen levels of compliance, cooperation and satisfaction (see Jackson, Bradford, Stanko, & Hohl, 2012). A growing body of research indicates that when police are viewed as respectful, concerned, and possessing legitimate authority, citizens are more likely to hold favourable attitudes toward police and comply with the law. Increasing the perceptions of police legitimacy within the community may both reduce community levels of crime and increase the willingness of the community to control and prevent crime (Sunshine & Tyler, 2003; Tyler & Fagan, 2008). When police are perceived as legitimate, citizens feel an obligation to voluntarily comply with their directives, and it is suggested that the indirect effects include a reduction in crime, reoffending and social disorder (Mazerolle, Bennett, Davis, Sargeant, & Manning, 2013). Our proposed review aims to assess whether or not interventions aimed at promoting police legitimacy reduce the levels of crime and disorder in communities and places...
Physical distancing measures have become the first line of defence for slowing COVID-19 virus tra... more Physical distancing measures have become the first line of defence for slowing COVID-19 virus transmission. However, studies have demonstrated that compliance with physical distancing restrictions has not been uniform. Police have also encountered widespread resentment of the restrictions, defiance, and people purposefully flouting restrictions. In this study, we examined factors associated with compliance with COVID-19 restrictions among those who held defiant attitudes toward police during the early stages of the pandemic in Australia. The study draws on survey data collected from 1595 Australians during the initial lockdown period in Australia. Regression analysis was applied to determine if two forms of defiance toward police (resistance and disengagement) were associated with reduced compliance with restrictions while controlling for other known correlates of compliance. We also identified factors that were associated with compliance among highly resistant and disengaged individuals. Findings indicate that defiant individuals were significantly less likely to comply with physical distancing restrictions. Among highly resistant and disengaged individuals, recent police-initiated encounters that were deemed to be procedurally unjust were also associated with reduced compliance. In addition, highly disengaged individuals were less likely to comply if they were concerned about ongoing loss of freedoms post-COVID-19. The implications of the findings for defiance and compliance research, as well as for COVID-19 policing strategies, are discussed.
Policing by consent has long been viewed as a fundamental feature of modern policing. Police need... more Policing by consent has long been viewed as a fundamental feature of modern policing. Police need citizens to report crime and suspicious activity and to assist police with their enquiries. The procedural justice model is commonly employed to explain cooperation with police, yet few studies consider how social context informs cooperation. In this study we examine the role of contextual factors in developing a better understanding of the procedural justice model of cooperation with police. To do so we compare results in two contexts: St Louis County (US) and Brisbane (Australia). We find similarities and differences in the way contextual factors (including feelings of insecurity and social cohesion and trust) impact the willingness to assist police across our two research sites.
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Fairness and equity are key concerns in modern liberal democracies. In step with this general tre... more Fairness and equity are key concerns in modern liberal democracies. In step with this general trend, academics and practitioners have long been concerned with the fairness of procedures utilized by the criminal justice system. Definitions vary, but procedural justice is loosely defined as fair treatment and fair decision-making by authorities. In the criminal justice system, the procedural justice of authorities such as police officers, judicial officers, and correctional officers is evaluated by members of the public. Procedural justice in the criminal justice system is viewed as an end in and of itself, but it is also an opportunity to yield various outcomes including legitimacy, public compliance with the law, cooperation with criminal justice officials, and satisfaction with criminal justice proceedings and outcomes.
On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19)... more On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) a global pandemic. At the time of writing, over 16 million cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed worldwide, and more than 650,000 people had died from the virus. A priority amongst governments globally is limiting the spread of the virus. In Australia, this response included mandatory ‘lockdown’ restrictions which limited citizens’ freedom of movement. This article uses survey data from 1595 Australians to examine compliance with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the early stages of the pandemic. Results revealed that a substantial number of Australians did not comply fully with the measures. Further, while self-interest and health concerns motivated compliance, normative concerns regarding duty to support the authorities dominated compliance decisions. The findings’ implications for both compliance research and for authorities wanting to nurture voluntary compliance with public health o...
The public rely on the police to enforce the law, and the police rely on the public to report cri... more The public rely on the police to enforce the law, and the police rely on the public to report crime and assist them with their enquiries. Police action or inaction can also impact on public willingness to informally intervene in community problems. In this paper we examine the formal-informal control nexus in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on a survey sample of 1,595 Australians during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, we examine the relationship between police effectiveness, collective efficacy, and public willingness to intervene when others violate lockdown restrictions. We find that perceptions of police effectiveness in handling the COVID-19 crisis has a positive impact on the public’s willingness to intervene when others violate lockdown restrictions.
Research Question Did a values education programme taught to Queensland police recruits change th... more Research Question Did a values education programme taught to Queensland police recruits change their attitudes towards police workplace diversity and equality, relative to recruits in the same cohorts who did not receive the programme? Data A survey designed to measure attitudes towards workplace diversity and related issues was administered three times to 260 police recruits, who were randomly assigned to receive a values education programme or not over the 25-week initial police recruit course. The surveys were conducted in week two of the course, at the conclusion of the values education programme and six weeks after the programme concluded. Methods Three separate cohorts were split by batch random assignment into experimental and controls, for 132 experimental recruits and 128 controls. Using a variety of validated scales and items, the attitudes of the two groups were compared at all three survey waves and in comparative longitudinal trends. Findings While the values education programme did not improve experimental group recruit attitudes towards diversity in the workplace over time, it protected that group from a clear decline in support for diversity associated with the standard recruit training experience. Because the design was a randomized controlled trial (RCT), the study clearly revealed that the benefit of the programme was as a successful buffer against what happened to reduce diversity support among the other recruits. Conclusions The findings show that in at least one police recruit experience, there is a clear shift away from support for diversity by race and gender in the police workplace in the course of initial training. Fortunately, the results also provide at least one possible preventative measure for that problem, in the form of a values education programme similar to one used widely in many countries.
The present study examines the moderating effect of a police recruit cultural training program on... more The present study examines the moderating effect of a police recruit cultural training program on the relationship between procedural justice and compliance with police supervisors. We expect that providing cultural training will moderate the relationship between procedural justice and "hard" compliance. Methods: Participants were police recruits at the Queensland Police Academy who were randomly assigned to an experimental (Voice 4 Values) or control condition (business-asusual training) upon entry into the academy. Recruits in both groups were surveyed pre-and post-training to capture perceptions of procedural justice and compliance with supervisors. Results: Results suggest that procedural justice mattered less for predicting "hard" or unthinking compliance among the recruits who received the Voice 4 Values cultural training package, compared to those who did not receive the training. Conclusions: We conclude that while procedural justice may be of interest to policing organizations, it is important that it is not used as a tool to encourage unthinking compliance. We find cultural training reduces the effect of procedural justice on unthinking or "hard" compliance.
This brief focuses on the “doing” of procedural justice: what the police can do to implement the ... more This brief focuses on the “doing” of procedural justice: what the police can do to implement the principles of procedural justice, and how their actions can improve citizen perceptions of police legitimacy. Drawing on research from Australia (Mazerolle et al), the UK (Stanko, Bradford, Jackson etc al), the US (Tyler, Reisig, Weisburd), Israel (Jonathon-Zamir et al), Trinidad & Tobago (Kochel et al) and Ghana (Tankebe), the authors examine the practical ways that the police can approach engagement with citizens across a range of different types of interventions to embrace the principles of procedural justice, including:
· problem-oriented policing
· patrol
· restorative justice
· reassurance policing
· and community policing.
Through these examples, the authors also examine some of the barriers for implementing procedurally just ways of interacting with citizens, and offer practical suggestions for reform. This work will be of interest for researchers in criminology and criminal justice focused on policing as well as policymakers.
This dissertation examines the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy... more This dissertation examines the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy using a mixed methods research design. This design involves two interconnected research studies: Study 1 is qualitative and Study 2 is quantitative. As prior research rarely
considers the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy, Study 1 is exploratory. Through qualitative interviews with residents and key informants in two purposively selected communities in Brisbane, Australia, I investigate the parameters of the policing-collective efficacy relationship. Accounts of participants indicate policing strategies and perceptions of police legitimacy and effectiveness, are useful to consider when determining the correlates of collective efficacy. I also find police enforcement strategies may lead to negative perceptions of police, and are detrimental to the willingness of community residents to intervene in community problems. Alternatively, community policing strategies may be useful only insofar as they empower citizens to intervene. Lastly, what the police do in communities
and how they are perceived is not as crucial to collective efficacy as structural characteristics, particularly structural disadvantage. As long as communities experience disadvantage they may feel disempowered to access formal controls or to intervene informally.
The findings of Study 1 lead me to construct eight hypotheses about the contours of the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy. These hypotheses are tested in Study 2. Utilising survey data collected from 4,167 residents of 148 communities and crime and census statistics, I examine the relationship between police legitimacy, police effectiveness, policing strategies and collective efficacy. Corroborating findings from Study 1, trust in police and perceptions of police enforcement strategies are the key policing variables that explain variations in collective efficacy across communities. I conclude that, while structural disadvantage is central to community capacity, police may have a positive influence on collective efficacy by improving trust in police and working with the community to empower residents to deal with community problems. I suggest Third-Party Policing and community policing strategies may be employed to increase trust in police and police-community collaboration, and reduce the negative connotations of police-led regulation.
Wave 2 of the Community Capacity Survey (CCS) is supported by an Australian Research Council (AR... more Wave 2 of the Community Capacity Survey (CCS) is supported by an Australian Research Council (ARC) discovery grant (DP0771785). It is a continuation of a CCS conducted in 2005 (funded by an ARC Linkage Grant LP0453762) which examined the relationship between collective efficacy and crime rates across 82 Statistical Local Areas
(SLAs) in Brisbane. The overarching goal of Wave 1 of the CCS was to analyse the
spatial distribution of the social processes important for the prevention of crime across
Brisbane neighbourhoods. Wave 2 of the CCS focuses on the changes in these social processes over time and examines whether such changes influence crime and
victimisation. Specifically, this project aims to build a longitudinal understanding of the dynamic role of collective efficacy (CE) in explaining spatial and temporal variations in
crime in urban communities in Australia.
The ECS survey is designed to examine ethnic minority participants' attitudes and perceptions reg... more The ECS survey is designed to examine ethnic minority participants' attitudes and perceptions regarding the following topics: a) community capacity; b) community attachment; c) community relationships; d) police (including legitimacy, procedural justice, police effectiveness), the law and cooperation with police; e) perceptions of local government; f) community diversity; g) community problems and action around problems; h) victimisation; and i) community services. While the ECS is related to the broader ACCS, in this report we focus specifically on the survey methodology and preliminary findings of the ECS.
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Papers by Elise Sargeant
· problem-oriented policing
· patrol
· restorative justice
· reassurance policing
· and community policing.
Through these examples, the authors also examine some of the barriers for implementing procedurally just ways of interacting with citizens, and offer practical suggestions for reform. This work will be of interest for researchers in criminology and criminal justice focused on policing as well as policymakers.
considers the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy, Study 1 is exploratory. Through qualitative interviews with residents and key informants in two purposively selected communities in Brisbane, Australia, I investigate the parameters of the policing-collective efficacy relationship. Accounts of participants indicate policing strategies and perceptions of police legitimacy and effectiveness, are useful to consider when determining the correlates of collective efficacy. I also find police enforcement strategies may lead to negative perceptions of police, and are detrimental to the willingness of community residents to intervene in community problems. Alternatively, community policing strategies may be useful only insofar as they empower citizens to intervene. Lastly, what the police do in communities
and how they are perceived is not as crucial to collective efficacy as structural characteristics, particularly structural disadvantage. As long as communities experience disadvantage they may feel disempowered to access formal controls or to intervene informally.
The findings of Study 1 lead me to construct eight hypotheses about the contours of the relationship between perceptions of police and collective efficacy. These hypotheses are tested in Study 2. Utilising survey data collected from 4,167 residents of 148 communities and crime and census statistics, I examine the relationship between police legitimacy, police effectiveness, policing strategies and collective efficacy. Corroborating findings from Study 1, trust in police and perceptions of police enforcement strategies are the key policing variables that explain variations in collective efficacy across communities. I conclude that, while structural disadvantage is central to community capacity, police may have a positive influence on collective efficacy by improving trust in police and working with the community to empower residents to deal with community problems. I suggest Third-Party Policing and community policing strategies may be employed to increase trust in police and police-community collaboration, and reduce the negative connotations of police-led regulation.
(SLAs) in Brisbane. The overarching goal of Wave 1 of the CCS was to analyse the
spatial distribution of the social processes important for the prevention of crime across
Brisbane neighbourhoods. Wave 2 of the CCS focuses on the changes in these social processes over time and examines whether such changes influence crime and
victimisation. Specifically, this project aims to build a longitudinal understanding of the dynamic role of collective efficacy (CE) in explaining spatial and temporal variations in
crime in urban communities in Australia.