Perceptions of police trust and legitimacy among individuals with mental disorders : the effect of police contact

Abstract

Algengt er að lögreglan hafi afskipti af einstaklingum með geðræn vandamál. Samkvæmt fyrri rannsóknum þá getur neikvæð reynsla af afskiptum lögreglu haft áhrif á viðhorf til trausts og lögmætis lögreglu meðal félagslegra jaðarhópa. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að kanna viðhorf einstaklinga með geðræn vandamál til lögreglunnar á Íslandi, ásamt því að skoða áhrif afskipta lögreglu á viðhorf. Úrtakið innihélt 108 einstaklinga, 63 konur og 35 karlar. Niðurstöður gáfu til kynna að þeir einstaklingar sem lögreglan hefur haft afskipti af á síðastliðnum fimm árum greindu frá neikvæðari viðhorfum til lögreglu heldur en þeir sem höfðu ekki átt í afskiptum lögreglu. Ekki fannst marktækur munur á viðhorfum eftir kyni og aldri, og viðhorf til lögreglu skýrði ekki úrlausn lögregluafskipta. Hins vegar var marktækur munur á ánægju úrlausn mála eftir því hvernig afskiptin voru leyst. Ásamt því, sýndu niðurstöðurnar fram á fylgni milli neikvæðs viðhorfs til lögreglu og aukinnar óánægju með afskipti lögreglu. Engar fyrri rannsóknir hafa fundist hérlendis. Þar að leiðandi eru framtíðarrannsóknir nauðsynlegar til að öðlast betri skilning á samskiptum lögreglu við einstaklinga með geðræn vandamál.

Interactions between police and individuals with mental disorders are prevalent. Previous studies have found that negative experiences of police contact can influence perceptions of police trust and legitimacy among socially marginalized groups. The current study aimed to examine perceptions of individuals with mental disorders toward police trust and legitimacy in Iceland, and the effect of police contact on perceptions. The sample included 108 individuals, 63 females and 35 males. According to the findings, participants who had police contact in the past five years reported more negative perceptions toward the police than those who had not. There were no significant differences in perceptions by gender and age, and perceptions of police trust and legitimacy did not account for the resolution of police contact. However, there was a significant difference in satisfaction of resolution depending on how the police contact was resolved. Furthermore, negative perceptions toward the police were associated with increased dissatisfaction with police contact. No prior study has been found in Iceland. Therefore, future research is needed to understand the dynamic relationship between this minority population and the police.