Racial Diversity, Majority–Minority Gap, and Confidence in the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

Racial status, that is, majority/minority identity, affects an individual’s confidence in the criminal justice system, and this effect could vary across social contexts. We analyzed people’s confidence in the criminal justice system comparatively in 88 societies using the World Values Survey (1981–2020). Results from the hierarchical linear models showed the following patterns: (1) Racial majority members display higher confidence in the criminal justice system than minority members; (2) the majority advantage in confidence is greater when racial diversity increases; (3) the majority advantage is most salient in societies with Black or Arabic majorities. The results suggest that majority members’ higher trust in order institutions is associated with perceived advantages and social comparison with minority members. Our findings reveal the profound interactive effects of racial status and context on confidence in the criminal justice system, shed light on racial diversity, and contribute new knowledge to public opinion studies.