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‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE

Year 2020, Volume: 12 Issue: 1, 98 - 112, 19.02.2020

Abstract

Citizens’ confidence in the police is a fundamental requirement for effective policing in modern societies. While this argument holds true for most legal and criminological perceptions in South Africa, research studies have hardly considered how specific segments of the population, particularly university students, view the police. This study was therefore aimed at determining the extent to which university students’ perception of the police shaped their confidence in the South African Police Service (SAPS) as an institution. A quantitative approach was adopted for the study. Data were obtained from participants through a convenience sampling technique. A sample of 682 participants was drawn from one of the largest universities in South Africa for a cross-sectional survey. The data were used to assess whether students’ personal encounters with or vicarious knowledge of the police influenced their confidence in the procedural fairness, effectiveness and trustworthiness of the members of this institution. It was found, amongst others, that the students did not have a favourable disposition towards the police and that this negative attitude reduced their confidence in the police. Students’ negative perceptions were shaped by their personal experiences of police corruption and brutality and this diminished their trust in the police. Increased levels of fear due to escalating crime also had a negative impact on their confidence in the SAPS. The implications of these findings for policing in contemporary South Africa are disconcerting, and the study thus confirms that the police-student relationship in South Africa needs to improve. For example, the police should adopt more proactive methods and a conciliatory approach when engaging with students while carrying out their constitutional responsibilities, whereas students, without breaking the law, should adopt a more permissive approach when making their voice heard.

References

  • Akinlabi, O. (2017). Do the police really protect and serve the public? Police deviance and public cynicism towards the law in Nigeria. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 17(2), 158–174. Australian Institute of Criminology. (2008). Selected offender profiles: Australian crime facts and figures. Canberra: The Australian Institute of Criminology Bello, P.O. & Steyn, J. (2019) University students’ perception of the South African Police Service: A non-judgemental assessment. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies, 11(2), 1309−8063. Boateng, F.D. (2013). Restoring the lost hope: A multidimensional approach for building public trust in the police. Journal of the Institute of Justice & International Studies, 13, 48–60. Boateng, F.D. (2016). Students and the police in Ghana: Mixed feelings. Police Practice & Research, 17(6), 555−569. Burger, J. (2011). To protect and serve: Restoring public confidence in the SAPS. South African Crime Quarterly, 36, 13−23. Faull, A. (2007). Corruption and the South African Police Service: A review and its implication. International Security Studies (ISS) Paper 150. Pretoria: ISS. Herbert, S. (2006). Tangled up in blue: Conflicting paths to police legitimacy. Theoretical Criminology, 10, 481–504. Hurst, Y.G. & Frank, J. (2000). How kids view cops: The nature of juvenile attitudes towards the police. Journal of Criminal Justice, 28(3), 189−202. Jackson, J. & Sunshine, J. (2007). Public confidence in policing: A Neo-Durkheim perspective. British Journal of Criminology, 47, 214–233. Jacobsen, S. (2015). Policing the ivory tower: Students’ perceptions of the legitimacy of campus police officers. Deviant Behaviour, 36, 310−329. Lange, M. (2017). An analysis of the #FeesMustFall movement at South African universities. Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. (CSVR). Available at: https://www.csvr.org.za/pdf/An-analysis-ofthe-FeesMustFall-Movement-at-South-African-universities.pdf (Accessed on 26 June 2018). Murphy, K. (2015). Does procedural justice matter to youths? Comparing adults’ and youths’ willingness to collaborate with police. Policing & Society: An International Journal of Research and Policing, 25(1), 53−76. Murphy, K., Murphy, B., & Mearns, M. (2010). The 2009 crime, safety and policing in Australia survey: Survey methodology and preliminary findings. Alfred Deakin Research Institute Working Paper, No. 17. Geelong: Deakin University. Norman, J. (2009). Seen and not heard: Young people’s perceptions of the police. Policing, 3(4), 364−372. Olutola, A. (2014). The ruling political parties and the war against crime and corruption in Nigeria and South Africa: The case of two brothers with headless bodies. Acta Criminologica: Southern African Journal of Criminology. Special edition (2), 135−149. Reisig, M.D. & Lloyd, C. (2009). Procedural justice, police legitimacy, and helping the police fight crime: Results from a survey of Jamaican adolescents. Police Quarterly, 12, 42–62. Sunshine, J. & Tyler, T.R. (2003). The role of procedural justice and legitimacy in shaping public support for policing. Law & Society Review, 37(3), 513−547. Tankebe, J. (2009). Public cooperation with the police in Ghana: Does procedural fairness matter? Journal of Criminology, 47, 1265–1293. Tankebe, J. (2010). Public confidence in the police: Testing the effects of public experiences of police corruption in Ghana. British Journal of Criminology, 50(2), 296–319. Tankebe, J. (2013). Viewing things differently: The dimensions of public perceptions of police legitimacy. Criminology, 51(1), 103–135. Tyler, T.R. (1990). Why people obey the law. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Tyler, T.R. (2003). Procedural justice, legitimacy, and the effective rule of law. In: M. Tonry (Ed.). Crime and Justice, 30, 431–505. Tyler, T.R. (2004). Enhancing police legitimacy. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 593(1), 84−99. Tyler, T.R. (2006). Why people obey the law. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Tyler, T.R. & Murphy, K. (2011). Procedural justice, police legitimacy and cooperation with the police: A new paradigm for policing. Australian research council centre of excellence in policing and security briefing paper (May 2011). Walker, S. & Katz, C. (2012). The police in America: An introduction. Berkshire: McGraw Hill Higher Education.
Year 2020, Volume: 12 Issue: 1, 98 - 112, 19.02.2020

Abstract

References

  • Akinlabi, O. (2017). Do the police really protect and serve the public? Police deviance and public cynicism towards the law in Nigeria. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 17(2), 158–174. Australian Institute of Criminology. (2008). Selected offender profiles: Australian crime facts and figures. Canberra: The Australian Institute of Criminology Bello, P.O. & Steyn, J. (2019) University students’ perception of the South African Police Service: A non-judgemental assessment. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies, 11(2), 1309−8063. Boateng, F.D. (2013). Restoring the lost hope: A multidimensional approach for building public trust in the police. Journal of the Institute of Justice & International Studies, 13, 48–60. Boateng, F.D. (2016). Students and the police in Ghana: Mixed feelings. Police Practice & Research, 17(6), 555−569. Burger, J. (2011). To protect and serve: Restoring public confidence in the SAPS. South African Crime Quarterly, 36, 13−23. Faull, A. (2007). Corruption and the South African Police Service: A review and its implication. International Security Studies (ISS) Paper 150. Pretoria: ISS. Herbert, S. (2006). Tangled up in blue: Conflicting paths to police legitimacy. Theoretical Criminology, 10, 481–504. Hurst, Y.G. & Frank, J. (2000). How kids view cops: The nature of juvenile attitudes towards the police. Journal of Criminal Justice, 28(3), 189−202. Jackson, J. & Sunshine, J. (2007). Public confidence in policing: A Neo-Durkheim perspective. British Journal of Criminology, 47, 214–233. Jacobsen, S. (2015). Policing the ivory tower: Students’ perceptions of the legitimacy of campus police officers. Deviant Behaviour, 36, 310−329. Lange, M. (2017). An analysis of the #FeesMustFall movement at South African universities. Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. (CSVR). Available at: https://www.csvr.org.za/pdf/An-analysis-ofthe-FeesMustFall-Movement-at-South-African-universities.pdf (Accessed on 26 June 2018). Murphy, K. (2015). Does procedural justice matter to youths? Comparing adults’ and youths’ willingness to collaborate with police. Policing & Society: An International Journal of Research and Policing, 25(1), 53−76. Murphy, K., Murphy, B., & Mearns, M. (2010). The 2009 crime, safety and policing in Australia survey: Survey methodology and preliminary findings. Alfred Deakin Research Institute Working Paper, No. 17. Geelong: Deakin University. Norman, J. (2009). Seen and not heard: Young people’s perceptions of the police. Policing, 3(4), 364−372. Olutola, A. (2014). The ruling political parties and the war against crime and corruption in Nigeria and South Africa: The case of two brothers with headless bodies. Acta Criminologica: Southern African Journal of Criminology. Special edition (2), 135−149. Reisig, M.D. & Lloyd, C. (2009). Procedural justice, police legitimacy, and helping the police fight crime: Results from a survey of Jamaican adolescents. Police Quarterly, 12, 42–62. Sunshine, J. & Tyler, T.R. (2003). The role of procedural justice and legitimacy in shaping public support for policing. Law & Society Review, 37(3), 513−547. Tankebe, J. (2009). Public cooperation with the police in Ghana: Does procedural fairness matter? Journal of Criminology, 47, 1265–1293. Tankebe, J. (2010). Public confidence in the police: Testing the effects of public experiences of police corruption in Ghana. British Journal of Criminology, 50(2), 296–319. Tankebe, J. (2013). Viewing things differently: The dimensions of public perceptions of police legitimacy. Criminology, 51(1), 103–135. Tyler, T.R. (1990). Why people obey the law. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Tyler, T.R. (2003). Procedural justice, legitimacy, and the effective rule of law. In: M. Tonry (Ed.). Crime and Justice, 30, 431–505. Tyler, T.R. (2004). Enhancing police legitimacy. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 593(1), 84−99. Tyler, T.R. (2006). Why people obey the law. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Tyler, T.R. & Murphy, K. (2011). Procedural justice, police legitimacy and cooperation with the police: A new paradigm for policing. Australian research council centre of excellence in policing and security briefing paper (May 2011). Walker, S. & Katz, C. (2012). The police in America: An introduction. Berkshire: McGraw Hill Higher Education.
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Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Paul O. Bello This is me

Johannes John-langba This is me

Publication Date February 19, 2020
Published in Issue Year 2020 Volume: 12 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Bello, P. O., & John-langba, J. (2020). ‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies, 12(1), 98-112.
AMA Bello PO, John-langba J. ‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE. IJ-SSHS. February 2020;12(1):98-112.
Chicago Bello, Paul O., and Johannes John-langba. “‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE”. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies 12, no. 1 (February 2020): 98-112.
EndNote Bello PO, John-langba J (February 1, 2020) ‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies 12 1 98–112.
IEEE P. O. Bello and J. John-langba, “‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE”, IJ-SSHS, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 98–112, 2020.
ISNAD Bello, Paul O. - John-langba, Johannes. “‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE”. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies 12/1 (February 2020), 98-112.
JAMA Bello PO, John-langba J. ‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE. IJ-SSHS. 2020;12:98–112.
MLA Bello, Paul O. and Johannes John-langba. “‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE”. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies, vol. 12, no. 1, 2020, pp. 98-112.
Vancouver Bello PO, John-langba J. ‘ARE THEY TRULY OUR FRIENDS?’ A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE. IJ-SSHS. 2020;12(1):98-112.