Arab Americans’ Confidence in Police

Abstract

Although the September 11 attacks have drawn much law enforcement attention to Arab Americans, research on Arab Americans' perceptions of police is almost nonexistent. Using survey data collected from 850 Arab Americans who resided in the Detroit metropolitan area, this study empirically examined the effects of demographic characteristics, personal experience, social attitudes and values, and social trust, of confidence in local police. The results indicated that the majority of Arab Americans had a great deal or a lot of confidence in police. Arab Americans' confidence in police was significantly related to their social attitudes and trust, such as conservative outlook, confidence in the legal system, respect for authority, and trust in neighbors. Arab Americans' background characteristics and experience had a weak effect on their confidence in police. More empirical research is warranted to assess Arab Americans' evaluations of local police along more indicators of police performance.

Does Religion Buffer the Effects of Discrimination on Distress for Religious Minorities? The Case of Arab Americans

“…A sizable body of this literature utilizes the Detroit Arab American Survey (DAAS; Baker et al 2003a). While the DAAS has been used for research outside the field of mental health, including studies on correlates with confidence in police (Sun and Wu 2015) and attitudes toward counter-terror measures (Sun, Wu, and Poteyeva 2011), the primary use of this data has been to investigate post-9/11 Arab American mental health outcomes and discriminatory experiences. Focusing on the discrimination and distress literature, avenues that have been investigated using the DAAS include acculturation (Aprahamian et al 2011), proximal whiteness (Abdulrahim et al 2012), gender (Assari and Lankarani 2017), cross-border ties (Samari 2016; Tessler 2008), and immigrant status and language preference (Abdulrahim and Baker 2009).…”

Immigrant perceptions of the police

“…Albeit limited, the literature on immigrant perceptions of the police in the USA has been growing, with a number of immigrant groups, such as Latino, Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Arab empirically examined (Cheurprakobkit, 2000; Cheurprakobkit and Bartsch, 1999; Chu and Hung, 2010; Chu and Song, 2015; Chu et al, 2005; Correia, 2010; Culver, 2004; Davis and Henderson, 2003; Davis and Hendricks, 2007; Herbst and Walker, 2001; Khondaker et al, 2015, 2017; Kirk et al, 2012; Menjivar, and Bejarano, 2004; Pogrebin and Poole, 1990; Roles et al, 2016; Skogan et al, 2002; Song, 1992; Sun and Wu, 2015; Torres and Vogel, 2001; Vidales et al, 2009; Walker, 1997; Wu, 2010; Wu et al, 2011, 2013). Other studies on Latino/Asian Americans were likely to include Latino/Asian immigrants in the samples, but they cannot claim with certainty that the results would apply to immigrant populations.…”

Injustice in the Justice System: Reforming Inequities for True “Justice for All”

“…For example, preliminary research supports the benefits of alternative courts, such as mental health and drug courts, for People of Color. Access to such courts could promote treatment, which may be more beneficial rather than default sentencing such as detainment (Subramanian, Riley, & Mai, 2018).…”