ABSTRACT

While researchers have studied police cynicism in urban contexts, few have studied cynicism in relation to rural policing and even less in relation to police responses to young people in these settings. In the current article, we respond by addressing the complex ways cynicism manifests in the rural policing of young people. Based on 104 semi-structured interviews and focus groups (n = 31) with 134 rural police officers in Atlantic Canada, we demonstrate that cynicism manifests in rural policing as role confusion, in relation to recalcitrant young people, the lack of organisational support, inefficacy of youth justice systems, and insufficient support from parents of young people in conflict with the law. Our findings highlight the value of community and organisational support, resources, and trust that are particularly salient in rural settings.

摘要

虽然研究人员研究了城市背景下的警察犬儒主义，但很少有人研究与农村警务有关的犬儒主义，更不用说警察在这些环境中对年轻人的反应了。在当前的文章中，我们通过解决玩世不恭在年轻人的农村警务中表现出来的复杂方式来回应。基于 104 次半结构化访谈和焦点小组（n = 31) 与加拿大大西洋地区的 134 名乡村警察一起，我们证明了玩世不恭在乡村警务中表现为角色混乱，与顽固的年轻人有关，缺乏组织支持，青年司法系统效率低下，以及来自年轻人父母的支持不足触犯法律的人。我们的研究结果强调了在农村环境中尤为突出的社区和组织支持、资源和信任的价值。