No abstract

While there is substantial research on community-police relations, most studies examine the abstract outcome of “negative perceptions of police.” This study, however, examines over- and under-policing as two distinct, yet not mutually exclusive, constructs, suggesting that there is more to strained police-community relations than citizens perceiving the police “negatively.” Using the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods Community Survey, we assess the relationship between race and ethnicity and perceptions of over- and under-policing and explore how these associations are conditioned by neighborhood characteristics. Results reveal racialized perceptions of over- and underpolicing. Furthermore, while levels of both under- and over-policing vary across neighborhoods, the relationship between these outcomes and individual-level race/ethnicity was robust. Implications for policy and research are discussed.

This study investigates the impact of various types of discrimination, including injustices from the police, as well as the conditioning effects of a positive ethnic identity on the likelihood of offending for Latinxs. Findings support the notion that discrimination from the police and everyday microaggressions are significant strains for Latinxs that increase their likelihood of offending. Anger is also found to be a significant driving factor. This study additionally adds to the growing body of mixed results around the impacts of ethnic identity, particularly for Latinxs, as it does not protect against the effects of discrimination for the current sample. This work is timely in the wake of the recent rhetoric around immigration, particularly from Latin American countries. With the rapid rise in Latinx incarceration, it is vital we understand the distinct factors that impact their likelihood of contact with the justice system to develop culturally competent intervention policies and counter the institutional racism driving the disparities.

No abstract

Since the initial articulation of general strain theory (GST), Agnew has suggested strains may function differently—in type, response, and impact—for different groups. We build upon Pérez and colleagues’ foundational arguments for a Latinx GST by investigating the role of the ethnically specific strains they propose in addition to other strains argued to disproportionately impact people of Color. Furthermore, we examine the protective role of positive ethnic identity against the negative effects of strainful experiences for Latinxs. Using a sample of Latinx youth from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we highlight not only the unique strains faced by Latinxs in America, but how they distinctly experience and respond to criminogenic strains.