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Examining collective efficacy and perceptions of policing in East Baltimore

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Crime Prevention and Community Safety Aims and scope

Abstract

This study examines how residents from a high-crime, high-poverty neighborhood in East Baltimore interact with one another, participate in their community, and perceive police. Using community surveys collected from 191 respondents, the study empirically measures collective efficacy, community participation, and police services and encounters. We predict that high levels of collective efficacy lead to more positive perceptions of police and an increased willingness to work with law enforcement. The results indicate that neighborhood trust is an important factor in shaping a community’s overall perception of police. Furthermore, older residents who own their homes are more likely to report a more positive perception of police, specifically police response.

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Notes

  1. On blocks with five or less residential properties, we include all properties in the sample.

  2. This includes eight residents who spoke Spanish and were unable to communicate with the survey team.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Criminal Justice, College of Public Affairs, University of Baltimore, 1420 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Andrea Cantora & Gabriela Wasileski

  2. Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance, University of Baltimore, 1420 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Seema Iyer

  3. ICF International, 530 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA

    Lauren Restivo

Authors
  1. Andrea Cantora
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  2. Gabriela Wasileski
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  3. Seema Iyer
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  4. Lauren Restivo
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Correspondence to Gabriela Wasileski.

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Cantora, A., Wasileski, G., Iyer, S. et al. Examining collective efficacy and perceptions of policing in East Baltimore. Crime Prev Community Saf 21, 136–152 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-019-00065-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-019-00065-7

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