Corruption and Police Legitimacy in Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Police legitimacy is an important topic of criminological research, yet it has received only sporadic study in societies where there is widespread police corruption, where the position of the police is less secure, and where social order is more tenuous. Drawing on data from a probability sample survey of adults in Lahore, Pakistan, we examine the empirical links between the experience of police corruption, perceptions of the fairness and effectiveness of the police, and beliefs about the legitimacy of the police. In a context in which minimal effectiveness and integrity is still to be established, we find that police legitimacy rests not just on procedural justice but also the demonstrated ability to control crime and act ethically.

Keywords: policing, trust, legitimacy, corruption, procedural justice, Pakistan

JEL Classification: K40