Skip to content

Procedural justice

Definition

The perceived fairness of how police make decisions and exercise authority. Four components: voice (people feel heard), neutrality (consistent, unbiased decisions), respectful treatment, and trustworthy motives. Tyler's research shows it predicts compliance and cooperation more strongly than outcome fairness.

Related terms

Community policing
A policing model that builds sustained partnerships between officers and residents through foot patrols, neighbourhood liaison, and joint problem identification. Emphasises prevention...
Discretion
The latitude police officers exercise in deciding whether and how to act. Studies by James Q. Wilson showed that street-level discretion shapes...
Hot-spots policing
A tactic that concentrates patrol resources on small high-crime micro-locations (street segments, addresses, or intersections). Supported by consistent evidence from randomised controlled...
Police legitimacy
The public belief that police authority is rightful and deserving of voluntary compliance. Distinguished from compliance secured through fear of sanctions. Legitimacy...
Problem-oriented policing
A model developed by Herman Goldstein in which police identify and address the specific conditions generating recurring crime or disorder, using the...

Explained in

  • Policing Styles and LegitimacyThe perceived fairness of how police make decisions and exercise authority. Four components: voice (people feel heard), neutrality (consistent, unbiased decisi...

Your journey to becoming a forensic professional starts here.

Practice with mock tests, learn from structured notes, and get your questions answered by a global forensic community, all in one place.