Objective

Examine youths’ perceptions of police legitimacy. Study one establishes age-graded trends in perceptions from childhood into adolescence. Study two tests whether a structured, in-school, non-enforcement-related program involving repeated prosocial exposure to police can improve youths’ perceptions of police legitimacy.

Methods

In study one, a cross-sectional sample (N = 959) of youth ages 7 to 14 was used to assess age-graded perceptions of police legitimacy. In study two, a 4-school, randomized controlled trial was conducted in Compton, California (N = 499).

Results

Age-graded differences in police legitimacy perceptions vary by race, but generally begin declining during late childhood. The program significantly improved youths’ perceptions of police legitimacy.

Conclusion

Racial differences in perceptions of police legitimacy can be traced to childhood, and perceptions of law enforcement appear to begin declining during childhood. Further, repeated exposure to law enforcement officials in a positive, non-enforcement capacity may improve youths’ legitimacy perceptions.

中文翻译：

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警察合法性：确定发展趋势以及是否可以改变青年的看法

客观的

检查年轻人对警察合法性的看法。研究一确定了从童年到青春期的感知的年龄分级趋势。研究两项测试，一项涉及反复亲社会接触警察的结构化、校内、非执法相关计划是否可以提高青少年对警察合法性的看法。

方法

在研究一中，使用 7 至 14 岁青年的横截面样本 ( N  = 959) 来评估对警察合法性的年龄分级感知。在研究二中，在加利福尼亚州康普顿进行了一项 4 所学校的随机对照试验（N  = 499）。

结果

警察合法性感知的年龄差异因种族而异，但通常在儿童后期开始下降。该计划显着提高了青少年对警察合法性的认识。

结论

对警察合法性看法的种族差异可以追溯到童年时期，而对执法的看法似乎在童年时期就开始下降。此外，以积极的、非执法的身份反复接触执法官员可能会提高青少年的合法性认知。