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  • Race and Policing in America: Conflict and Reform
  • Patricia Y. Warren
Race and Policing in America: Conflict and Reform. By Ronald Weitzer and Steven A. Tuch. Cambridge University Press. 2006. 238 pages. $70 cloth, $27.99 paper.

Criminological research has repeatedly shown that race is a consistent predictor of attitudes toward the police. While prior studies have demonstrated that blacks possess strikingly different views than their white counterparts, scholars have been unable to fully account for [End Page 1141] the "continuing significance of race" in shaping police-citizen relations. In addition, little is known about Hispanic and other minority groups' experiences with and perceptions of the police. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that their views might closely resemble those of blacks, given their subordinate economic and social status in contemporary America. However, Weitzer and Tuch thoughtfully challenge this monolithic view of minorities and suggest that the unique histories between minority citizens and police have important implications for police-citizen relations.

Guided by group-position and racial-hierarchy theory, the authors suggest that perceptions of police are not merely a reflection of individual experiences and feelings but also group interests. For example, white, black and Hispanic citizens are expected to hold different views of police because their social, economic and material interests are in conflict with one another. On the other hand, whites often express an affinity for the police because they generally function to preserve their group interests. Specifically, the coercive crime-control practices that take place in minority communities are often supported by whites because black and Hispanic citizens represent a criminal threat to the larger social order. However, black and Hispanic citizens object to these aggressive practices because they view them as racially biased and unwarranted. Therefore they are less inclined to believe that police are consistently fair and trustworthy. In addition, Weitzer and Tuch use the racial-hierarchy perspective to challenge the assumption that blacks and Hispanics are treated similarly by police and therefore, hold similar views of them. In particular, the authors maintain that the longer fractious and more complex history that blacks have with police has resulted in more deep-seated tensions. These theoretical articulations offered by Weitzer and Tuch are important because they situate assessments of police outside the realm of variable analysis and highlight how history, structural arrangements and ongoing police-citizen conflicts interact to shape citizens' views of police.

Much of the research on race and policing has utilized survey-based data. While surveys have provided valuable insights about citizens' perceptions, they are not well suited for understanding the nature and scope of police-citizen relations. Qualitative data can complement public opinion data by providing more detailed accounts of both police behavior and its influence on citizens' perceptions. Therefore, future research should employ a mix-method approach in order to understand the full range of citizen/police experiences and how they influence perceptions of police legitimacy.

Few scholars have comprehensively assessed citizens' perceptions of police brutality, corruption and racial profiling in a single study. As noted in other investigations, police misconduct greatly affects citizens' satisfaction and trust. The abusive nature of policing that takes place in some minority communities has significantly reduced residents' evaluations of police. [End Page 1142] Therefore, Weitzer and Tuch suggest that in order to build better relations with citizens, police themselves must encourage organizational reform. That is, there must be a sincere commitment from law enforcement agencies to place greater accountability on officers. In addition, they must also be willing to discipline those officers who violate the police code of conduct.

Race and Policing in America offers an insightful contribution to the research on race and policing because it theoretically contextualizes why race differences continue to exist. It further emphasizes that restricting samples to black and white citizens ignores the significance of other racial groups' experiences with police and limits our understanding of the relevance of race. Finally, by incorporating other racial groups into research on police-citizen relations scholars can perhaps begin to identify the race-specific factors that shape citizens' views of the police.

Patricia Y. Warren
Florida State University
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