Representative Bureaucracy in Policing: Does It Increase Perceived Legitimacy?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Riccucci, Norma M.; Van Ryzin, Gregg G.; Lavena, Cecilia F.
• 署名单位: Rutgers University System; Rutgers University New Brunswick; Universidad de San Andres Argentina
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND THEORY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1053-1858
• DOI: 10.1093/jopart/muu006
• 发表日期: 2014
• 页码: 537-551
• 关键词: active representation; domestic violence; GENDER; state; blue

摘要

Drawing on the theory of representative bureaucracy, specifically the theory of symbolic representation, we examine whether or not gender representativeness in a police department's domestic violence unit influences how citizens judge the agency's performance, trustworthiness, and fairness. To examine this question, we use an online survey experiment in which we vary the representation of female police officers in a hypothetical domestic violence unit as well as the agency's performance. Results suggest that gender representation does indeed influence the perceived job performance, trustworthiness, and fairness of the agency, as does the agency's performance. Thus, this study suggests that the symbolic representativeness of the police does causally influence how citizens view and judge a law enforcement agency, and thus in turn perhaps their willingness to cooperate in the coproduction of public safety outcomes.