Shaping youths' perceptions and attitudes toward the police: Differences in direct and vicarious encounters with police.

Considerable research has examined public attitudes toward the police. Yet, little is known about the effects of direct and vicarious police stops upon youths' attitudes and perceptions of police. The purpose of the current study is to analyze the relationship between direct and vicarious police stops and urban youths' attitudes of and perceptions toward police officers. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Survey (FFCWS), linear and ordered logistic regressions were used to examine the relationship between police stops and urban youths' perceptions of and attitudes toward police officers. Findings indicate that direct and vicarious police stops are associated with lower levels of respect and confidence in the police. We also found that direct and vicarious police stops have a positive relationship with perceptions of procedural justice. However, the positive effect of police stops on procedural justice is mitigated by the level of police intrusiveness during such stops. While our findings on respect and confidence suggest that direct and vicarious police stops are catalysts of negative attitude formation, we also show that direct and vicarious stops play an important role in curbing negative sentiments of police injustice. • Direct and vicarious police stops are correlated with less respect for the police. • Direct and vicarious police stops are correlated with less confidence in the police. • However, they are also correlated with improved perceptions of procedural justice. • Police intrusiveness is correlated with worsened perceptions of procedural justice. • Police intrusiveness moderates the effects of police stops on procedural justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]