Why Does the Public Cooperate with Law Enforcement? The Influence of the Purposes and Targets of Policing

48 Pages Posted: 9 Feb 2011

See all articles by Aziz Z. Huq

Aziz Z. Huq

University of Chicago - Law School

Tom Tyler

Yale University - Law School

Stephen Schulhofer

New York University School of Law

Date Written: February 7, 2011

Abstract

This study addresses the extension of the “procedural justice” model for understanding public cooperation with law enforcement to new policing contexts and new minority populations. The study draws on four recent surveys of public reactions to policing against crime or against terrorism across different populations to examine whether the changing purpose of policing, or changes in the communities targeted for heightened policing have an effect on how cooperative behaviors are elicited.

This paper presents evidence that procedural justice mechanisms are robust across a variety of contexts and populations in the United States. Three issues in particular are addressed. First, whether the procedural justice model applies across policing functions and policed populations. Second, whether the perception that another group is the target of disproportionate policing efforts has any effect on the cooperation behavior of a non-targeted population. And third, whether people attend to different aspects of policing behavior if their community is targeted for heightened policing attention.

Keywords: procedural justice, legitimacy, policing, terrorism

Suggested Citation

Huq, Aziz Z. and Tyler, Tom and Schulhofer, Stephen J., Why Does the Public Cooperate with Law Enforcement? The Influence of the Purposes and Targets of Policing (February 7, 2011). Psychology, Public Policy & Law, Forthcoming , University of Chicago, Public Law Working Paper No. 339, NYU School of Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 11-11, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1757263

Aziz Z. Huq (Contact Author)

University of Chicago - Law School ( email )

1111 E. 60th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Tom Tyler

Yale University - Law School ( email )

P.O. Box 208215
New Haven, CT 06520-8215
United States

Stephen J. Schulhofer

New York University School of Law ( email )

40 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012-1099
United States

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