The Widening Mistrust between Youth and Police

Abstract

The interaction between police and young people living in the inner city has received limited empirical review. This paper examines the experiences of inner city youth claiming to have been subjected to excessive police force or misconduct or both. The discussion is informed by a study of encounters between a sample of the two groups. The author contends that hostility and strain between police and inner city youth, particularly youth of color, are increasing. The paper also examines the consequences of these encounters and their implications for service providers and policymakers.