Articles | Open Access |

UNDERSTANDING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' ENGAGEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT: A STUDY OF CONTACT AND CONFIDENCE

G. Grayson Adams , School of social work, University of Windsor, Canada

Abstract

The relationship between Indigenous peoples and law enforcement agencies has been a subject of considerable attention, particularly due to historical and ongoing issues surrounding systemic discrimination, cultural misunderstandings, and a lack of trust. This study explores the dynamics of Indigenous peoples' engagement with law enforcement, focusing on the extent and nature of contact, as well as the levels of confidence and trust in police services. Through surveys and interviews with Indigenous individuals and communities, the research examines how factors such as personal experience with law enforcement, perceived biases, and cultural differences shape their interactions with police officers. The findings highlight significant disparities in the ways Indigenous peoples view law enforcement, with many expressing a lack of confidence in the police, particularly in relation to issues of accountability and fairness. The study also explores potential pathways for improving police-Indigenous relations, including cultural sensitivity training for law enforcement, community policing models, and greater involvement of Indigenous voices in shaping law enforcement policies. Understanding these relationships is critical to fostering safer and more equitable interactions between Indigenous communities and law enforcement agencies.

Keywords

Indigenous Peoples, Law Enforcement, Police Relations

References

Alberton, Amy M., and Kevin M. Gorey. 2018. Contact is a stronger predictor of attitudes toward police than race: A state-of-the-art review. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management 41(1): 2–23. https://doi.org/10.1108/pijpsm-06-2017-0070 Google Scholar

Benoit, Cecilia, Michaela Smith, Mikael Jansson, Samantha Magnus, Nadia Ouellet, Chris Atchison, Lauren Casey, Rachel Phillips, Bill Reimer, Dan Reist, and Frances M. Shaver. 2016. Lack of confidence in police creates a “blue ceiling” for sex workers’ safety. Canadian Public Policy 42(4): 456–68. https://doi.org/10.3138/cpp.2016-006 Link, Google Scholar

Bowleg, Lisa. 2012. The problem with the phrase women and minorities: Intersectionality – An important theoretical framework for public health. American Journal of Public Health 102(7): 1267–73. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2012.300750. Medline:22594719 Google Scholar

Bradford, Ben, Jonathan Jackson, and Elizabeth A. Stanko. 2009. Contact and confidence: Revisiting the impact of public encounters with the police. Policing and Society 19(1): 20–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439460802457594 Google Scholar

Brown, Ben, and Wm, Reed Benedict. 2002. Perceptions of the police: Past findings, methodological issues, conceptual issues and policy implications. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management 25(3): 543–80. https://doi.org/10.1108/13639510210437032 Google Scholar

Brown, Lorne, and Caroline Brown. 1973. An Unauthorized History of the RCMP. Toronto, ON: James Lorimer. Google Scholar

Cao, Liqun. 2011. Visible minorities and confidence in the police. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice 53(1): 1–26. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjccj.53.1.1 Link, Google Scholar

Cao, Liqun. 2014. Aboriginal people and confidence in the police. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice 56(5): 499–526. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjccj.2013.e05 Link, Google Scholar

Cheng, Hongming. 2015. Factors influencing public satisfaction with the local police: A study in Saskatoon, Canada. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management 38(4): 690–704. https://doi.org/10.1108/pijpsm-11-2014-0125 Google Scholar

Cheurprakobkit, Sutham. 2000. Police-citizen contact and police performance: Attitudinal differences between Hispanics and non-Hispanics. Journal of Criminal Justice 28(4): 325–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0047-2352(00)00042-8 Google Scholar

Comack, Elizabeth. 2012. Racialized Policing: Aboriginal People’s Encounters with the Police. Blackpoint, Nova Scotia: Fernwood Publishing. Google Scholar

Crenshaw, Kimberlé. 1989. Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory, and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum 1989: 139–67. Google Scholar

Article Statistics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Copyright License

Download Citations

How to Cite

G. Grayson Adams. (2024). UNDERSTANDING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ ENGAGEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT: A STUDY OF CONTACT AND CONFIDENCE. The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology, 6(11), 7–11. Retrieved from https://theamericanjournals.com/index.php/tajpslc/article/view/5617