Experiences of policing also communicate messages
about ‘belonging’ to a group and ‘status’ within that
group¹ ². Individuals want to be able to see themselves
as part of the ‘in-group’ rather than the ‘out-group’ so
look for signs that the police represent ‘people like
them’ and share their concerns. This can be a difficult
when we are challenging the behaviour of a significant
group within society such as drivers, and means that
careful messaging is crucial. There are connections
here to the social norms discussion on page 63 and
the ideas surrounding social pressure associated with
the Theory of Reasoned Action and Theory of Planned
Behaviour (see pages 19-20).
Roads policing offers lots of opportunities for
procedurally just experiences, whether those are
direct (perhaps during traffic stops or during court
processes) indirect (perhaps via social media, or written
correspondence with drivers) or vicarious (where the
experiences of others are witnessed).
Wherever there are opportunities for engagement
with members of the public, there are opportunities
for communicating a message about the legitimacy
and fairness of the authorities. Given the potential
for roads policing to generate large numbers of
these encounters, we need to think carefully about
the messages we send out and make sure that our
behaviour increases normative commitment to the law
rather than undermines it.
Research has suggested that speed cameras are
seen, by some, as lacking in procedural justice.
Whilst they are undeniably consistent and
neutral, they could be seen as unfair because they
lack opportunities to voice, and can be seen as
disrespectful of the individual circumstances of
each offence and each offender³.
Several of our Accessible
Academics (p146-154) have
expertise in procedural justice
in roads policing and would be
happy to help you understand
how to put these principles into
practice.
¹ Wells, H. and Wills, D., (2012). Individualism and identity: Resistance to speed cameras in the UK.
² Bradford, B., Hohl, K., Jackson, J. and MacQueen, S. (2015). Obeying the rules of the road: Procedural justice, social identity, and normative compliance.
Journal of contemporary criminal justice, 31(2), pp.171-191.
³ Wells, H., (2008). The techno-fix versus the fair cop: Procedural (in) justice and automated speed limit enforcement. The British Journal of Criminology, 48(6),
pp.798-817.
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