Race, Social Bonds, and Juvenile Attitudes toward the Police

Abstract

Relying on survey data collected from over 1,300 students of 13-18 years old across multiple US cities, this study attempts to integrate race into social bond theory to explain the variation in juvenile perceptions of the police. Results indicate significant differential outlooks between white and black teenagers, and to a lesser extent, between white and Hispanic juveniles. Social bonds, especially commitment to school and conventional beliefs, have significant effects on juveniles' attitudes. The effects of race and social bonds are more independent and social bonds do not mediate the race-attitudes relationship. Other factors, such as juvenile delinquency, victimization, and sense of safety, are also related to juvenile assessments of the police. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Evaluating the shared and unique predictors of legal cynicism and police legitimacy from adolescence into early adulthood

“…Throughout childhood and adolescence, individual legal attitudes are shaped by parental attitudes and the child's relationship with their parents (Cavanaugh & Cauffman, ; Ferdik, Wolfe, & Blasco, ; Nivette et al., ; Sargeant & Bond, ; Wolfe et al., ; Wu, Lake, & Cao, ). Findings from research on intergenerational transmission generally support the notion that parental attitudes are a strong predictor for youth attitudes (Cavanaugh & Cauffman, ; McLean et al., ; Sindall, McCarthy, & Brunton‐Smith, ; Wolfe et al., ; see more generally Degner & Dalege, ).…”

“…Some scholars have found that adolescents who have stronger bonds with their parents, measured variously by parental involvement, supervision, and attachment, are more likely to view the police and law favorably (Ferdik et al., ; Nivette et al., ; Sargeant & Bond, ; Wolfe et al., ). These associations, however, tend to be small or indirect and vary across ethnic groups (Nivette et al., ; Wu, Lake, & Cao, ). To our knowledge, only one study group has directly compared the influence of parental and family influences on legal cynicism and legitimacy (see Fagan & Tyler, ).…”

“…Findings from research on the relationship between teacher authority and legal orientations are generally focused on the role of teacher authority, teacher–child relationships, and commitment to school (Ferdik et al., ; Nivette et al., ; Trinkner & Cohn, ; Wu et al., ). These factors generally reflect an adolescent's attachment and bonds to teachers and school, as well as treatment by school authorities.…”

“…These factors generally reflect an adolescent's attachment and bonds to teachers and school, as well as treatment by school authorities. Evidence of school‐related influences on legal attitudes is generally mixed as some researchers have found no relationship (Ferdik et al., ; Nivette et al., ; see also Little & Steinberg, ), some have reported direct associations only for certain ethnic groups (Lurigio, Greenleaf, & Felxon, ; Wu et al., ), and others have reported strong and consistent relationships across populations (Flexon et al., ). Studies aimed at examining school influences on legal cynicism are scarcer.…”

Process-based model in adolescence. Analyzing police legitimacy and juvenile delinquency within a legal socialization framework

“…A number of studies have analyzed the variables related to social bonds between parents and children, finding that enhanced family attachment is associated with positive attitudes to the police (Ferdik et al 2014;Flexon et al 2009;Sargeant and Bond, 2015;Wu et al 2015). The literature has shown the importance of these bonds by comparing the attitudes of minors toward authority with those of their parents, finding certain similarities between them (Cavanagh and Cauffman 2015; Sargeant and Bond 2015; Wolfe et al 2016).…”