Racist Cops, Vested 'Blue' Interests, or Both? Evidence from Four Decades of the General Social Survey

Bibliographic Data

ID2423978
AuthorsJ Roscigno (0000-0002-8066-9761, The Ohio State University, corresponding author), Kayla Preito-Hodge (0000-0002-9069-6843, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey)
Year2021
Volume7
Publication date2021-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocius Sociological Research for a Dynamic World (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2378-0231 • E-ISSN: 2378-0231
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/2378023120980913
OpenAlexW3123204289
LanguageEN
Citations received21
References cited34

The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer triggered U.S. and worldwide protests-protests that raised questions about police funding, use of force, and whether police officers are distinctly racist. In this article, the authors draw on nearly four decades of the General Social Survey to examine trends over time and specifically model whether those in law enforcement are more likely to hold racialized and arguably racist views, vested 'blue' occupational interests, or both. Trends show declining public support for police expenditure and police use of force over time. The authors' further modeling highlights stark differences between police and the general public, as well as between cops and those of similar occupational status. Specifically, police uniquely believe that they should receive more funding and have the right to use physical force against citizens; they are also more racist, a pattern especially apparent among white male officers. These findings, which largely support the arguments of current Black Lives Matter protesters, show how vested occupational interests and racialized orientations intersect in important ways, sometimes with perilous consequences

Criminology · Law enforcement · Officer · Police brutality · Political science · Politics · Public opinion · Racism · Sociology · Use of force · White (mutation · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · Law · Policing Practices and Perceptions

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