Procedural Justice and Police Encounters with Homeless Injecting Drug Users

The recent decline in police legitimacy (Gallup Poll, 2015) has increased the need for procedural justice. Law enforcement agencies that employ procedural justice can restore legitimacy, build trust, and enhance citizen satisfaction. Using secondary data collected from 99 homeless injecting drug users in Skid Row, Los Angeles, this study shows that despite the legal outcome of a police encounter (i.e., arrest, citation), when officers utilize procedural justice (e.g., act fairly, treat the individual with respect, and refrain from using unnecessary force, yelling or using inappropriate language), citizen satisfaction with the encounter is positive. This study provides compelling evidence for the need for procedurally just practices to re-establish the diminishing legitimacy of and trust in law enforcement agencies.

Publication Date: 
2017