Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Absolute and relative support among citizen-voters for local law enforcement agencies: Correlates with selected dimensions of political ideology

  • Published:
American Journal of Criminal Justice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

During the last twenty years numerous studies have been published regarding public support for local law enforcement agencies. These studies have typically focused on three determinants of support-the social status of the citizen, citizen fear or actual victimization of crime, and the nature or frequency of citizen-police contacts.

This somewhat exploratory research evaluates the impact of political ideology upon citizen support for law enforcement agencies. The thrust of the investigation builds upon much more limited considerations of ideology in earlier studies. An assessment and comparison of support according to absolute/diffuse measures and relative/specific measures of citizen-voter support are presented.

Political ideology is defined in the context of contemporary liberal-conservative perspectives and operationalized according to nominal (self-identification)and issue-oriented techniques.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albrecht, S. and Green, M. (1977) “Attitudes Toward the Police and the Larger Attitude Complex.”Criminology 15:67–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, R., Meyer, F., Corbett, A. and Rudoni, D. (1979) “Evaluation of Police Services in Medium-Sized Cities.”Law and Policy Quarterly 1:235–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, D. (1982) “Police Uniforms, Attitudes and Citizens.”Journal of Criminal Justice 10:45–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Block, R. (1970) “Support for Civil Liberties and Support for the Police.”American Behavioral Scientist 13:781–796.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Block, R. (1971) “Fear of Crime and Fear of the Police.”Social Problems 19:91–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, B. (1979)The American Electorate. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carte, G. (1973) “Changes in Public Attitudes Toward the Police: A Comparison of 1938 and 1971 Surveys.”Journal of Police Science and Administration 1:182–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chackerian, R. (1974) “Police Professionalism and Citizen Evaluations: A Preliminary Look.”Public Administration Review 1974:141–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Converse, P. (1964) “The Nature of Belief Systems in Mass Publics.” InIdeology and Discontent, edited by D. Apter. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dean, D. (1980) “Citizen Ratings of the Police: The Difference Contact Makes.”Law and Policy Quarterly 2:445–471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Easton, D. (1965)A Systems Analysis of Political Life. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elazar, D. (1972)American Federalism: A View from the States (2d). New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erskine, H. (1974) “The Polls: Politics and Law and Order.”Public Opinion Quarterly 38:623–634.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, F. (1974)Citizen Attitudes Toward Local Government, Services and Taxes. Cambridge, Mass.: Ballinger Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furstenberg, F. and Wellford, C. (1973) “Calling the Police: The Evaluation of Police Service.”Law and Society Review 8:393–406.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gant, M. and Davis, D. (1984) “Mental Economy and Voter Rationality: The Informed Citizen Problem in Voting Research.”Journal of Politics 46:132–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hindelang, M. (1974) “Public Opinion Regarding Crime, Criminal Justice, and Related Topics.”Journal of_ Research in Crime and Delinquency 11:101–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klyman, F. and Kruckenberg, J. (1974) “A Methodology for Assessing Citizen Perceptions of Police.”Journal of Criminal Justice 2:219–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koening, D. (1980) “The Effects of Criminal Victimization and Judicial or Police Contacts on Public Attitudes Toward Local Police.”Journal of Criminal Justice 8:243–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovrich, N. and Taylor, G. (1976) “Neighborhood Evaluation of Local Government Services-A Citizen Survey Approach.”Urban Affairs Quarterly 12:197–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luttbegg, N. and Gant, M. (1985) “The Failure of Liberal/Conservative Ideology as a Cognitive Structure.”Public Opinion Quarterly 49:80–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marenin, O. (1983a) “Voting on the Police: Support and Interest in a Small Community.”Journal of Police Science and Administration 11:97–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marenin, O. (1983b) “Supporting the Local Police: The Differential Group Basis of Varieties of Support.”Police Studies 6:50–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCaghy, C., Allen, I., and Colfax, J. (1968) “Public Attitudes toward City Police in a Middle-Sized Northern City.”Criminology 6:14–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCloskey, H. (1958) “Conservatism and Personality.”American Political Science Review 50:27–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalf, L. and Dolbeare, K. (1985)Neopolitics-American Political Ideas in the 1980’s. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, W. (1973) “Ideology and Criminal Justice Policy: Some Current Issues.”Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 64:141–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nie, N., Verba, S. and Petrocik, J. (1976)The Changing American Voter. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parks, R. (1975) “Complimentary Measures of Police Performance.” InPublic Policy Evaluation, edited by K. Dolbeare. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parks, R. (1976) “Police Response to Victimization: Effects on Citizen Attitudes and Perceptions.” InSample Surveys of the Victims of Crime, edited by W. Skogan. Cambridge, Mass.: Ballinger Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peek, C., Alston, J. and Lowe, G. (1978) “Comparative Evaluation of the Local Police.”Public Opinion Quarterly 42:371–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perkins, J. (1982) “Ideology in the South: Meaning and Bases among Masses and Elites.” InContemporary Southern Political Attitudes and Behavior, edited by L. Moreland. New York: Praeger Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poister, T. and McDavid, J. (1978) “Victims’ Evaluations of Police Performance.”Journal of Criminal Justice 6:133–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. (1967)The Challenge of Crime in a Free Society. Washington: Government Printing Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross, R. and Snortum, J. (1982) “Public Priorities and Police Policy in a Bicultural Community.”Police Studies 5:18–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scaglion, R. and Condon, R. (1980) “Determinants of Attitudes Toward City Police.”Criminology 17:485–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, E. (1981) “Citizen Perception of Police Service Delivery: A Look at Some Consequences.”Policy Studies Journal 9:971–981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skogan, W. (1975) “Public Policy and Public Evaluations of Criminal Justice System Performance.” InCrime and Criminal Justice, edited by J. Gardiner. Lexington, Mass.: D.C. Heath and Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. and Hawkins, R. (1973) “Victimization, Types of Citizen-Police Contacts, and Attitudes Towards the Police.”Law and Society Review 8:135–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stinchcombe, A., Adams, R., Heimer, C., Scheppele, K., Smith, T. and Taylor, D. (1980)Crime and Punishment: Changing Attitudes in America. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, J., Pierson, J. and Marcus, G. (1978) “Ideological Constraint in the Mass Public: A Methodological Critique and Some New Findings.”American Journal of Political Science 22:233–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, C. and Hyman, J. (1977) “Perceptions of Crime, Fear of Victimization, and Public Perceptions of Police Performance.”Journal of Police Science and Administration 5:305–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, T. (1984) “The Influence of Citizen Satisfaction with Police Behavior upon Police Support.”Law and Policy Quarterly 6:329–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker, D. (1977) “Citizen Contact and Legal System Support.”Social Science Quarterly 58:3–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, M. and Menke, B. (1978) “A Critical Analysis of Surveys on Public Opinions Toward Police Agencies.”Journal of Police Science and Administration 6:204–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, M. and Menke, B. (1982) “On Assessing the Mood of the Public Toward the Police: Some Conceptual Issues.”Journal of Criminal Justice 10:211–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J. (1968)Varieties of Police Behavior. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univeristy of Alabama, Huntsville

    Jesse C. Brown

Authors
  1. Jesse C. Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brown, J.C. Absolute and relative support among citizen-voters for local law enforcement agencies: Correlates with selected dimensions of political ideology. AJCJ 10, 140–162 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887467

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02887467

Keywords

Search

Navigation