NCJ Number
219278
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2007 Pages: 121-141
Date Published
June 2007
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study explored the attitudes of rural youth toward the police.
Abstract
Results indicated that rural youth were more supportive of police than their metropolitan counterparts, although the rural youths’ level of support did not match the level of support reported by adults. Specifically, approximately 43 percent of the sampled youth agreed that they generally liked the police. Also contrary to studies on metropolitan youth, race did not emerge as a significant predictor of attitudes toward the police in this study. However, moderate differences were noted that indicated White rural youth generally held a more positive perspective of police than their rural Black counterparts. Youths attending predominantly Black schools located in non-White communities were consistently less positive in their attitudes toward police. On the other hand, the author notes that many of factors identified in the research literature as theoretically relevant emerged as significant predictors of attitudes of youth residing in rural areas. For example, findings that those who have seen or heard of police misconduct are more likely to hold negative attitudes toward police were replicated here. Future research should continue to expand the knowledge base concerning youth’s attitudes toward the police in different geographical areas. Surveys were administered in 2002 by homeroom teachers of 9th through 12th graders in four public high schools in four rural towns in Southern Illinois. The surveys focused on assessing juvenile attitudes toward police, race, gender, and age, predominant race of community, previous experiences of police conduct, perceptions of neighborhood crime, and experiences of personal or family victimization. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses. Tables, notes, references