Trust in the german police: Determinants and consequences for reporting behavior

Abstract

According to Tyler's procedural justice theory, public trust in or perceived legitimacy of the police plays a central role in enhancing citizens' cooperation with this institution. Reporting a crime to the police marks one important form of public cooperation. This chapter examines the interrelationships between personal experiences with the police, various dimensions of trust in the police, and victims' reporting behaviors, based on a large–scale victimization survey from Germany. Results provide partial support for the hypothesized relationships, but also reveal dangerous pitfalls when approaching this issue with data collected in standard victimization surveys.