The Structure of Adolescents' Attitudes towards Law and Crime

Youth, Police Legitimacy and Informal Contact

“…Attitudes formed during adolescence are argued to exert a lasting influence on adults' judgements of police (Easton and Dennis 1969). Nelsen, Eisenberg and Carroll (1982) reported that young people's belief systems are shaped more by direct experiences, such as treatment received from police in direct contact or encounters with police officers, rather than more global attitudes formed about policing in abstract, or policing as an institution.…”

Attitudes toward the police: a critique and recommendations

“…Alternatively, age-linked changes in cognitive development may affect youthful attitudes toward and interactions with the police (Portune, 1971;Torney, 1971). When entering adolescence, young people develop abstract reasoning, tend to be less idealistic, and question the authority of police (Nelsen, Eisenberg, & Carroll, 1982;Portune, 1971;Torney, 1971). As Torney (1971) observed: 'The tendency to process information in personalized, egocentric fashion declines with age [among adolescents], while the ability to cognitively reverse a situation increases' (p. 140).…”

“…However, research from this perspective suggests that their attitudes mature in the direction of questioning authority (Nelsen et al, 1982). This body of theory, consequently, presents mixed findings about the ability of the police to affect ATP.…”

Obedience and Trust in the Brazilian Police from a Youth’s Perspective: The Preliminary Results

“…Indeed, broader community factors may play a key role in the emergence of proactive aggression 7 (Fite et al 2009). As Nelsen et al (1982) argued, young people's behaviors are largely shaped by direct experiences, such as treatment received or encounters, rather than generic beliefs about authority in abstract. This argument underscores the importance of positive interactions with authorities early in life, including parents and teachers.…”