The Dynamics of the Differential Policing of Distinct Social Groups: Towards a Modern Model of Policing in Diverse Societies

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the different dynamics undermining the relationships between the police and four distinct groups of Israeli citizens—Arabs, ultra-Orthodox Jews, and immigrants from Ethiopia and Russia. The comparative analysis reveals the sources of inequality in policing, its characteristics, and results. The structural equation modelling elucidates that procedural justice and the effectiveness of the police shape the moral alignment between the groups and the police. These factors have different effects on the groups’ identification with the state. The results underscore the considerable importance of the government’s role in guaranteeing social inclusion and the sharing of common values. The findings may help in designing a set of reforms and training programmes—not just a single reform—suited to the special needs of each group, to cope with the challenges of equal policing in an era of global social instability.