Title

Procedural Injustice, Lost Legitimacy, and Self-Help: Young Males' Adaptations to Perceived Unfairness in Urban Policing Tactics

Authors

Authors

J. M. Gau;R. K. Brunson

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

J. Contemp. Crim. Justice

Keywords

procedural justice; police legitimacy; self-help; urban youths; urban; policing; SOCIAL-CONTROL; NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT; CITIZEN PERCEPTIONS; PUBLIC; SUPPORT; LEGAL CYNICISM; JUSTICE; FAIRNESS; AUTHORITIES; VIOLENCE; CRIME; Criminology & Penology

Abstract

Legitimacy acts as the dividing line between a police force that merely possesses legal authority to enforce the law and one that enjoys both legal and moral authority. Research has shown that people who see the police as procedurally just are more likely to also view them as legitimate. Most of this research has been quantitative and has focused on the statistical link between procedural justice and police legitimacy. The present study offers a qualitative examination of in-depth interviews with young men residing in disadvantaged, urban neighborhoods to uncover the specific actions that police take that are seen as unjust and that erode legitimacy. In addition, evidence is revealed that compromised legitimacy can encourage young males to engage in certain self-protective behaviors that can, in turn, increase their risk of becoming the targets of police scrutiny. Implications of this finding for research and police policy are made.

Journal Title

Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice

Volume

31

Issue/Number

2

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

132

Last Page

150

WOS Identifier

WOS:000353983800002

ISSN

1043-9862

Share

COinS