Police Violence and Its Public Support

Gamson, William A.; McEvoy, James

doi:10.1177/000271627039100109

Cited by 20 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Although both samples reported dissatisfaction with the police, the street respondents were significantly more likely to hold negative views of police service than the household sample. In other studies comparing groups of African Americans, attitudes toward the police have been found to be affected by socioeconomic status (Parker et al, 1995;Peek et al, 1981), neighborhood crime rates (Parker et al, 1995), age (Boggs & Galliher, 1975;Gamson & McEvoy, 1970), sex (Peek et al, 1981), the type of initiation of police contacts (Boggs & Galliher, 1975), and recent publicized events of police brutality (Tuch & Weitzer, 1997).…”

Section: Perceptions Of Policementioning

confidence: 98%

“…Since the 1960s, one of the most consistent findings is that race is a stronger predictor of attitudes than most other demographic characteristics such as sex, age, or socioeconomic status (for a review, see Peek et al, 1981, p. 362). These studies have consistently found that African Americans report less favorable attitudes toward police than Whites (Block, 1971;Gamson & McEvoy, 1970;Hadar & Snortum, 1975;Halim & Stiles, 2001;Hindelang, 1974;Jacob, 1972;Parker et al, 1995;Peek et al, 1981).…”

Section: Perceptions Of Policementioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceptions of Police and Safety in a Small Town

Nofziger

Williams

2005

Police Quarterly

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This study examines how perceptions of police affect feelings of safety in the community. Using a community survey from a nonmetropolitan area, this study investigates predictors of confidence in police and whether confidence decreases concern with safety. Findings indicate confidence in police is influenced predominantly by impressions that crime has decreased in the community or by having a positive encounter with police. In turn, confidence in police significantly increases feeling safe. These findings suggest that fear of crime can be reduced through positive interactions between police and community residents. Thus, in addition to effectively enforcing the law, efforts to develop good community relations are important for police in smaller town settings, just as for urban police.

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Section: Perceptions Of Policementioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Perceptions Of Policementioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptions of Police and Safety in a Small Town

Nofziger

Williams

2005

Police Quarterly

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“…Other studies show that class conditions the effect of race on satisfaction with police, but the findings are less than conclusive. While some found that Whites' perceptions of the police become more positive as they move up the social structure (Hagan & Albonetti, 1982), others showed that wealthy Blacks are more likely than poor Blacks to be less supportive of the police (Boggs & Galliher, 1975;Gamson & McEvoy, 1970;Hagan & Albonetti, 1982). Still others found that economically and educationally advantaged Blacks have more favorable evaluations of police (Priest & Carter, 1999).…”

Section: Classmentioning

confidence: 99%

Race, Class or Neighborhood Context: Which Matters More in Measuring Satisfaction with Police?

Wu¹,

Sun²,

Triplett³

2009

Justice Quarterly

259

267

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The primary purpose of this study is to assess the relative effects of race and class, at both individual and neighborhood levels, on public satisfaction with police. Using hierarchical linear modeling on 1,963 individuals nested within 66 neighborhoods, this study analyzes how individual-level variables, including race, class, age, gender, victimization and contact with police, and neighborhood-level factors, including racial composition, concentrated disadvantage, residential mobility and violent crime rate, influence residents' satisfaction with police. The results from the individual-level analysis indicate that both race and class are equally important predictors. African Americans and lower-class people tend to be less satisfied with police. The significant effects of race and class, however, disappear when neighborhood-level characteristics are considered simultaneously. Neighborhood racial composition affects satisfaction with police, with residents in predominately White and racially mixed neighborhoods having more favorable attitudes than those in predominately African American communities. Further analyses reveal that African Americans in economically advantaged neighborhoods are less likely than Whites in the same kind of neighborhoods to be satisfied with police, whereas African Americans and Whites in disadvantaged communities hold similar levels of satisfaction with police. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.

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“…First, we find a consistent and simple race effect for the vast majority of the questions. Whites in both cities generally had better opinions of police policy and practice than did Blacks (see also Campbell & Schuman, 1968;Feagin & Hahn, 1973;Gamson & McEvoy, 1970). Not only did Whites feel that police were doing a good job relative to Blacks, but they also felt that the police needed even more power to enforce the law-a view that Blacks did not share.…”

Section: Opinions On the Local Policingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Police and Riots, 1967-1969

Perez

Berg

Myers

2003

Journal of Black Studies

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This article investigates the role of policing in both the genesis and development of racial rioting. In particular, the authors focus on several riots that occurred in two cities, Boston and San Francisco, which experienced different overall levels of rioting during the peak period of racial violence in thelate1960s. The amount and type of rioting that occurred in each city is consistent with the paradoxical yet frequent pattern in which direct repression, particularly when characterized by excessive or selective use of force, fails to subdue rioting and often escalates conflict. Despite this consistency, however, there are substantial differences between the two cities concerning the amount and severity of rioting that occurred. These differences are connected to variation in three primary characteristics of the civil authorities in the two cities: (a) police preparedness and training, (b) racial polarization in attitudes toward the police, and (c) underlying police-community relations. Implications are then discussed for further research on racial rioting and for policing practices.

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Police Violence and Its Public Support

Cited by 20 publications

References 0 publications

Perceptions of Police and Safety in a Small Town

Perceptions of Police and Safety in a Small Town

Race, Class or Neighborhood Context: Which Matters More in Measuring Satisfaction with Police?

Police and Riots, 1967-1969

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