Developmental Stage and Perceptions of Police Among Black Youth

 

Purpose: A plethora of research has been conducted to understand the relationship between police perceptions and reported experiences of discrimination based on racial identification (Bayley, & Mendelson, 1969; Brunson, 2007; Weitzer, & Tuch, 2006). A reoccurring finding is that Black Americans have higher reports of police discrimination than other American ethnic groups (Dubios, 1899; Dubois, 1904; Furtenberg, & Wellford, 1973, & Gibbidon & Taylor-Greene, 2009). The present study expands previous research by examining the association between developmental age and Black youths’ perceptions of police. Furthermore, informed by Erikson’s developmental model and Afrocentricity theory this study addressed the following research questions:  Do Black youths’ perceptions of police discrimination differ by developmental age; and, what demographic and contextual variables are associated with an increased likelihood of black youths’ perception of police discrimination?  

Methods: Secondary data analysis was completed on the Black Youth Culture survey administered by the Black Youth Project (Cohen, 2005). Random digit dialing was used to collect a nationally representative sample of nearly 1600 youth. For the purpose of this study, only Black youth (N=635) were included in the analysis.  The outcome variable, police discrimination, was measured by a single binary question (“Have you ever been unfairly treated by police?”). The predictor police favorability was measured by a warmth rating scale (0-49 feel negative; 50-100 feel favorable or warm towards police officers). Police contact was measured using a single binary question (“Have you ever been stopped by the police?”). To measure neighborhood perceptions, participants were asked, how much of a problem were things like drugs, violence, gangs, and crime with a likert type scale.

An ANOVA analysis was completed to examine differences among Black youth on police favorability by developmental age group.  A Logistic regression was conducted to explore how developmental age impacts perceptions of unfair treatment by police among Black youth while controlling for gender, neighborhood perceptions, and police contact.

Results: There were 221 black youth participants between the age of 15-17, 247 between the age 18-21, and 167 between the ages of 21-25. Fifty-four percent of participants were male. There was a significant difference between participant’s with 15-17 years reporting more police favorability compared to youth 18 and above.  The results from the logistic regression indicate: gender (OR=2.45), police contact (OR=3.44), police favorability (OR=4.71), neighborhood perceptions (OR=1.87), and developmental age (OR =1.87), were all significant predictors of reports of police discrimination.

Discussion: This study demonstrated that overarching theories of Black youth having negative perceptions of police is unsupported. Instead results revealed that as Black youth mature their perception change from positive to negative.  This may be due to experiences of police discrimination. As social workers, we need to advocate for new perspectives of understanding issues faced by black youth in order to develop interventions that are grounded in the needs and experiences of this community.  Future research should include in-depth qualitative interviews to further explore this community’s perspectives of police discrimination and how changes in perceptions emerge throughout youths’ development.