Citizens' Perceptions of the Courts: The Impact of Race, Gender, and Recent Experience

• NCJ Number: 216671
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 34 Issue: 5 Dated: September-October 2006 Pages: 457-467
• Author(s): Ivan Y. Sun; Yuning Wu
• Date Published: September 2006
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the influences of race, gender, and recent court contacts on citizens' perceptions of the courts in their communities.

Abstract

Study findings show that race, ethnicity, and gender mattered in citizens' perceptions of the courts. Consistent with previous research, racial minorities, including Blacks and Latinos, were more likely than Whites to have negative attitudes toward the courts. White and Black females were more likely than White and Black males to have negative attitudes regarding whether court procedures and outcomes were fair; however, Latino males and females did not differ in their attitudes toward court procedures and outcomes. Court contacts tended to have a negative effect on citizens' evaluation of the courts. Citizens with recent personal contact with the courts were more likely than those with no recent court contact to have negative perceptions of the fairness of court procedures and outcomes. Citizens who were litigants in court cases were more likely than nonlitigants to have such negative attitudes. Citizens with negative perceptions of police also tended to have negative perceptions of the courts. Study data were collected by the National Center for State Courts from March to May 2000. The final sample consisted of 982 citizens. It included 253 White males, 267 White females, 115 Black males, 156 Black Females, 94 Hispanic males, and 97 Hispanic females. Approximately 44 percent of Whites, 43 percent of Blacks, and 37 percent of Latinos had personal contact with courts over the past 12 months. The main dependent variables pertained to citizens' attitudes toward several aspects of the local or State courts in their communities. The independent and control variables were divided into those that pertained to citizen characteristics and criminal justice experiences and perceptions. 3 tables and 36 references