Law enforcement is a critical aspect of ensuring safety in communities. However, unjustified harm has been associated with law enforcement throughout history, resulting in tension between police and communities.
Fear of unjustified police harm remains prevalent, especially in minoritized communities. However, research on this fear has not typically focused on the importance of psychology when it comes to understanding community perceptions of law enforcement.
New research from Michigan State University’s School of Criminal Justice sought to understand some of the explanations for fear of unjustified police harm. Published in the International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, the research suggests that the perceived likelihood and severity of an incident explain why some people fear law enforcement.