NCJ Number
212135
Journal
Criminal Justice Studies: A Critical Journal of Crime, Law and Society Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2005 Pages: 271-280
Date Published
September 2005
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study explored the issue of police trust in a sample of 69 adolescents residing in low income, high crime communities in Richmond, VA.
Abstract
While a plethora of criminological research has focused on the deleterious outcomes associated with residing in socially disorganized, inner-city communities, relatively little research attention has focused on perceptions and trust in police officers displayed by inner-city adolescents. Previous research on police trust with adult populations has revealed its multi-faceted nature and has also revealed a high degree of mistrust of police within minority urban communities. The current exploratory study adds to this research literature by examining police trust among a sample of 69, 9- to 13-year-old African-American male and female adolescents in Richmond, VA, who were interviewed 2 times, 6 months apart, after responding to fliers hung in community centers in targeted neighborhoods. Results of statistical analyses indicate that adolescents in high crime minority communities respect police officers and think they are doing a good job. These findings highlight the differences between adolescent’s and adult’s perceptions of police. Future research should investigate the process of the development of police mistrust in order to create prevention and intervention programs designed to maintain high levels of police trust. Figure, tables, references