Reforming the Police through Procedural Justice Training

The source article evaluated the impact that procedural justice (PJ) training had on the officers who received the training, and on the number of arrests, residents’ perceptions of police legitimacy, and both police-reported crime incidents and citizen-initiated calls for service. Officers who received PJ training were more likely to give people ‘voice’ (e.g., letting them express concerns), show neutrality (e.g., making fair, transparent decisions), and demonstrate respectful behaviour when interacting with citizens. The training also led to a reduction in arrests, a decrease in residents’ perceptions of police harassment and excessive force, and fewer police-reported crime incidents. PJ training did not significantly impact officers’ demonstration of trustworthy motives, residents’ perceptions of police legitimacy, or the volume of citizen-generated calls for service. These findings suggest that PJ can positively impact crime and community perceptions. The findings also demonstrate that PJ training can positively impact police behaviour when interacting with the public.