Procedural Justice and Policing: A Rush to Judgment?

Abstract

Within policing research there is currently little research examining the role of procedural justice in shaping legitimacy and considering their joint role in shaping compliance. However, large literatures in social psychology and management make a plausible case for the value of applying this model to policing. These literatures suggest that it is likely that (a) the practices of the police can be crafted to raise perceptions of procedural justice, (b) police training can alter officer behavior, and (c) redesigning police organizations internally can motivate their members to treat community members more fairly. A focus on legitimacy highlights the virtues of consensual models of policing. Consensual models are found to motivate public cooperation in fighting crime and to heighten identification with and engagement in communities. Consequently, legitimacy is the most promising framework for discussing changing the goals of policing and moving from a police force model to a police service model.