Determinants of Public Attitudes Toward the Police: an Exploratory Study

Determinants of Public Attitudes Toward the Police provides an insightful portrait of a number of factors that affect public attitudes toward the police. The objective of this study is to ascertain the existence of any relationship between certain factors relevant in studying people's attitudes toward the police. The findings that emerge from this study indicate that the most influential factors that shape public attitudes toward the police are citizens' fear of the police resulting from negative experiences with the police, trust in the police, and exposure to mass media about police misconduct.