Police procedural justice and adolescents’ internalization of the law: Integrating self‐determination theory into legal socialization research

Abstract

The procedural justice model is a common framework for understanding how and why fair procedures conveyed by legal authorities (such as police officers) shape the legal socialization process. The present contribution draws upon self-determination theory (SDT) to advance the procedural justice model through its focus on internalization, in terms of identification and external regulation. Study 1 is a questionnaire-based study conducted among 268 Belgian adolescents that provides initial evidence for the incremental value of the SDT-based operationalization of internalization, above and beyond the classic operationalization (i.e., obligation to obey), for explaining why perceived procedural justice is linked to more compliance and less defiance. These results are corroborated in Study 2, which involves an experimental, vignette-based study (N = 210) contrasting a procedurally just versus unjust situation. The discussion focuses on how SDT may inform the legal socialization literature.

Procedural justice and legal socialization among juvenile offenders: The role of defense attorneys

“…A considerable amount of research has found a relationship between youths' attitudes and beliefs regarding the legal system, law, and rules and norms underlying it and delinquent behavior (Cohn et al, 2010(Cohn et al, , 2012Fagan & Piquero, 2007;Fagan & Tyler, 2005;Piquero et al, 2005;Tyler, 2006;Tyler & Fagan, 2008;Tyler & Huo, 2002;Van Petegem et al, 2021). Research has also found that attitudes and beliefs about the system are formed, at least in part, through interactions.…”

“…Yet, understanding legal socialization as part of development is also important because it is the process through which individuals acquire beliefs about societal rules, norms, and the systems that enforce them (Cohn et al, 2012;Cohn & White, 1990;Fagan & Tyler, 2005;Levine & Tapp, 1977;Tyler & Trinkner, 2018). These beliefs become internalized, thereby shaping compliance with rules and the institutions enforcing them (Fagan & Tyler, 2005;Van Petegem et al, 2021).…”

“…Research suggests that perceptions of fairness in treatment by the legal system-referred to as procedural justice-are related to beliefs in the legitimacy of the system and may be a better predictor of future law-abiding behavior than the outcome of one's legal case (MacCoun, 2005). There is a significant body of research with adults documenting this association, but a more limited amount of research focused on youth, though existing research shows that youth with greater perceptions of fairness are more law abiding (Penner et al, 2014;Pennington, 2015;Tyler & Trinkner, 2018;Van Petegem et al, 2021). This is an important area of focus because adolescence is a time when young people are likely to come in contact with and form views of the legal system.…”

Legal socialization: Back to the future

“…Many focus not just upon attitudes and values, but upon what people do (for example, rule violating behavior; e.g., Cole et al, 2021). Finally, there is the use of experimental designs based on vignettes (e.g., Van Petegem et al, 2021).…”

“…Finally, Van Petegem et al (2021) introduce a new theoretical framework into socialization studies: self-determination theory. Self-determination theory argues that the desire for autonomy is a basic need that motivates internalization and self-regulation.…”