Examining macro-level impacts on procedural justice and police legitimacy

PurposeMany studies have lent empirical support to the procedural justice model of police legitimacy; however, there has, as yet, not been widespread consideration of the potential impact of neighborhood- and community-level factors on people's perceptions of procedural justice or police legitimacy. The present study integrates the macro-level policing literature with the psychological-based procedural justice framework to uncover what effects, if any, the sociostructural environment has on procedural justice and police legitimacy.MethodsHierarchical linear modeling integrates census and survey data within a single, mid-sized city.ResultsConcentrated disadvantage exerted a marginally-significant impact on procedural justice, and on police legitimacy while controlling for procedural justice. Procedural justice remained the strongest predictor of legitimacy, even when accounting for macro-level characteristics.ConclusionsThe effect of procedural justice on police legitimacy appears to be robust against the deleterious impacts of concentrated disadvantage. This has implications for procedural justice research, theory, and policing.

► There is a link between procedural justice and police legitimacy.
► Sociostructural context can affect residents’ perception of police.
► The present study combines macro-level and procedural justice frameworks.
► Procedural justice predicts legitimacy, controlling for disadvantage.
► The procedural justice model is promising in distressed urban neighborhoods.