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Police Legitimacy in two different Socio-Economic Contexts
Kix, Helen Jill (2025) Police Legitimacy in two different Socio-Economic Contexts.
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| Abstract: | This study examines factors that might provide explanations regarding the perceived legitimacy of the police in two socially contrasting neighborhoods in Dortmund: Innenstadt-Ost and Nordstadt. Based on theories of procedural and distributive justice, this paper analyses how participants perceive the police in terms of voice, neutrality, respect, trustworthiness and trust; and how they assess the distribution of police resources and treatment in their respective neighborhoods. The research follows a qualitative, comparative case study design, based on six semi-structured interviews with parents employed in the education sector. A structured coding system is used to analyze the data. This system scores participants' statements enabling evaluation of the statements and comparison between cases. The findings suggest that procedural justice plays a central role in shaping perceptions of police legitimacy, while distributive justice also contributes but appears to be less influential. Additionally, participants from Innenstadt-Ost consistently report higher levels of perceived police legitimacy, along with higher levels of procedural and distributive justice, than those from Nordstadt. Responses from Nordstadt are more ambivalent and often shaped by negative experiences, resulting in lower evaluations across all measured neighborhood totals. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 70 social sciences in general, 71 sociology, 88 social and public administration |
| Programme: | Management Society and Technology BSc (56654) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/107720 |
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