Premium
Can You Build a Better Cop?
Author(s) -
Owens Emily,
Weisburd David,
Amendola Karen L.,
Alpert Geoffrey P.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
criminology and public policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.6
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1745-9133
pISSN - 1538-6473
DOI - 10.1111/1745-9133.12337
Subject(s) - use of force , intervention (counseling) , law enforcement , procedural justice , deterrence theory , deterrence (psychology) , criminology , situated , criminal justice , psychology , public relations , deadly force , enforcement , political science , social psychology , law , computer science , international law , neuroscience , psychiatry , artificial intelligence , perception
Research Summary By drawing from psychology and economics, we present an experimental evaluation of a procedural justice training program designed to “slow down” police officers’ thought processes during citizen encounters. We find that officers who were randomly assigned to participate in training were as engaged in the community as similarly situated officers, but they were less likely to resolve incidents with an arrest or to be involved in incidents where force was used. These changes were most evident among officers who worked in areas with a modest level of risk. Policy Implications Police officers who are actively engaged with the public can reduce crime through general deterrence and by arresting criminals. Nevertheless, excessive discretionary arrests and the use of force by officers can reduce public trust in the police. To date, there is scant evidence as to how police departments can successfully train officers to balance enforcement and public trust in the field. Through our study, we demonstrate that a relatively minor supervisory intervention may cause substantive changes in how police and citizens interact with each other.