What does it mean when we ask the public if they are ‘confident’ in policing? The trust, fairness, presence model of ‘public confidence’

Abstract

‘Confidence’ is widely taken to be a crucial measure of the relationship between citizens and public services such as policing. It is acknowledged that confidence is multifaceted and hard to measure, but often discussions are based on one ‘headline’ rating of a single item, for instance: ‘What is your level of confidence in…’. The subsequent focus for research is explaining what might drive ‘confidence’, or what it might predict. We are interested in a more fundamental question: what does it mean when we ask the public if they are ‘confident’ in policing? To answer this, we analyse extensive and detailed survey data specifically designed to measure public confidence, within the jurisdiction of a UK police force – West Midlands Police. We develop then validate a three-part model of confidence as trust, fairness and presence, and find good evidence to support this model across different waves of the survey. This extends existing literature with implications for policy.

“Strikingly and Stubbornly High”: Investigating the Paradox of Public Confidence in the Irish Police

“…In particular, stark differences in the level and trajectory of those very satisfied with service to the local community compared with those with high levels of trust in the force overall substantiate a view of support for the police as a “‘fuzzy,’ complicated, and multidimensional concept” (Worrall, 1999, p. 62). Morrell et al (2020) may well be correct to argue for a view of confidence as a composite concept, a combination of generalized beliefs about the police, perceptions of fairness/appropriateness, and more localized experiences. Similarly, the tensions that are apparent in the Irish situation between high levels of trust in police fairness and the acknowledgment of informalism, discretion, and occasional impropriety are suggestive of multiple pathways to confidence and legitimacy.…”

“…Similarly, the tensions that are apparent in the Irish situation between high levels of trust in police fairness and the acknowledgment of informalism, discretion, and occasional impropriety are suggestive of multiple pathways to confidence and legitimacy. While the procedural justice model marks a significant contribution to the criminological literature, as several authors have sought to argue, the underlying sources of confidence in the police are not always clear, or unidirectional, and may be highly context-dependent (Herbert, 2006; MacQueen & Bradford, 2015; Morrell et al, 2020). In the Irish context, it may be that commitment to the goals of procedural justice (dignity, respect, empathy) is enacted through informal and formal processes, as has been argued for restorative justice conferencing (Miller & Hefner, 2015).…”

‘Strikingly and stubbornly high’: Investigating the paradox of public confidence in the Irish police

“…In particular, stark differences in the level and trajectory of those very satisfied with service to the local community compared with those with high levels of trust in the force overall substantiates a view of support for the police as a '"fuzzy", complicated, and multidimensional concept' (Worrall, 1999: 62). Morrell et al (2020) may well be correct to argue for a view of confidence as a composite concept, a combination of generalised beliefs about the police, perceptions of fairness/appropriateness, and more localised experiences. Similarly, the tensions that are apparent in the Irish situation between high levels of trust in police fairness and the acknowledgement of informalism, discretion, and occasional impropriety are suggestive of multiple pathways to confidence and legitimacy.…”

Counterterrorism Evaluation and Citizens: More Than about Policing?

“…This scepticism towards globalisation has moreover contributed to the rise of populism and growing public support for radical political parties (see Inglehart and Norris 2016). 6 Police presence and fairness also affect public confidence in policing (Morrell et al 2019).…”