A Durkheimian Analysis of Racialised Crime and Punishment Police Practices and the Demand for Change

The analysis of racialised police attitudes has been frequently addressed in academic articles, but the application of a Neo-Durkheimian approach has been largely overlooked. This article will apply Durkheimian theory to illuminate the need for a shift in crime and punishment policy and practices to avoid the present societal moral stagnation. In order to do so it will address both, the recent Black Lives Matter protests in America and the 2011 Riots in London. The use of the two case studies signifies the continuity of problematic police behaviour and political address. It is evident that such an article is embedded in an extremely sensitive topic, therefore it does not presume to provide a solution to the overwhelming circumstances. Rather, in illuminating the relevance of Durkheimian theory it signifies that current global circumstances demand a moral shift in societal understandings of solidarity and “the cult of the individual”, providing pivotal foundations for police practices. However, this requires participation of criminologists alongside practitioners and activists.

Police attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force in China

The purpose of this study is to explore police attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force in China. Using original data from a survey of over 900 police officers in China, this study investigated patterns of officers’ attitudes toward the use of force and correlates of officer attitudes supportive of the use of inappropriate force. This study shows that a significant number of officers hold attitudes supportive of the use of inappropriate force. Regression analysis demonstrates complex relationship between police role-orientation and officers’ attitudes toward the use of inappropriate force. This study also found that police training on the use of force was not as effective as expected in shaping officers’ attitudes toward the use of force. The implication for police training is discussed in relation to findings of this study.

Understanding the Components and Determinants of Police Attitudes Toward Intervention in Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: A Systematic Review

Police officers are society’s first interveners in intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) and are essential for victim safety. Despite IPVAW laws, police attitudes influence their real actions during IPVAW intervention. However, the fuzzy conceptualization of the construct deters the pursuit of conclusive evidence. This systematic review sought to identify the components of police attitudes toward intervention in IPVAW and their determinants. A search was conducted through several databases (e.g., Web of Science). Papers were included if they (a) provided original empirical findings or were review studies, (b) were published between 1990 and 2019, (c) were written in Spanish or English, (d) alluded to police officers, and (e) focused on police attitudes toward intervention in IPVAW or their determinants. Fifty-seven papers were included. The studied components of police attitudes toward intervention in IPVAW extracted from the literature were tolerance of IPVAW, minimal police involvement, unsupportive and supportive attitudes toward the legal system and legislation against IPVAW, understanding of the complex nature of abuse, and IPVAW intervention as an important police task. Moreover, the central role of individual and situational determinants in police attitudes toward intervention in IPVAW was confirmed, whereas organizational and societal determinants were studied scarcely. This review proposes a framework upon which to build operational definition of police attitudes toward intervention in IPVAW and includes remarks on police backgrounds and the situational characteristics of IPVAW events that are essential in shaping police procedures for managing them. Empirical evidence should be transferred to police training and standard operating procedures.

Beyond Tuskegee, To Middlesboro: How Perspectives of Policing Shape Vaccine Attitudes for Black Americans

Attempts to explain the higher levels of vaccine skepticism among Black Americans frequentlyfocus on the history of racial discrimination within the American healthcare system. Whilestudying this discrimination is important, we argue that past research overlooks the role of law enforcement actors outside the healthcare system; both in their history of supporting medical discrimination, and in its contemporary function as a coercive face of the state that may influence Black American’s concerns about vaccines. Using cross-sectional and longitudinal nationally representative surveys, we demonstrate that police attitudes have a strong and causal effect on vaccine skepticism and opposition to pro-vaccine policies among Black Americans. These findings point to the importance of reforming areas outside of the medical field, such as policing, in order to promote lasting declines in vaccine hesitancy.

‘No One Blames Men In Our Society’: Indian Police Officers’ Perceptions of Female Complainants

The purpose of this study was to identify Indian police officers’ perceptions of female complainants and how these perceptions influenced their handling of cases involving women and girls. Using a phenomenological approach, we conducted a qualitative study involving interviews with 12 police officers who were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Patriarchal perceptions regarding gender roles influenced police attitudes regarding female complainants, including scepticism regarding the truthfulness of female complainants. As a result, they often did not file their cases in attempt to prevent women from experiencing shame and social stigma. The study expands our understanding of how the gendered nature of policing has direct implications for the outcomes of complaints made by women in India.