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The impact of situational factors, officer characteristics, and neighborhood context on police behavior: A multilevel analysis

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  • Sun, Ivan Y.
  • Payne, Brian K.
  • Wu, Yuning

Abstract

While a considerable number of studies had been conducted to examine the effects of various variables on police behavior, very few studies had simultaneously analyzed factors that accounted both for police coercive and noncoercive behaviors. Equally limited is the research on the influences of officer characteristics and neighborhood context on police behavior controlling for all individual situational factors. Using observational and survey data collected by a large-scale project and hierarchical linear modeling techniques, this study assessed the effects of situational, officer, and neighborhood variables on police coercive and noncoercive actions, as well as the cross-level effects between these variables. Findings showed that situational characteristics played a strong role in determining officer coercive behavior, but not noncoercive activities. Similarly, officer-level predictors explained better officers' variation in coercive behavior than noncoercive behavior. Meanwhile, socially disadvantaged neighborhoods were more prone to receive coercive activities than were other neighborhoods. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Ivan Y. & Payne, Brian K. & Wu, Yuning, 2008. "The impact of situational factors, officer characteristics, and neighborhood context on police behavior: A multilevel analysis," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 22-32, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcjust:v:36:y::i:1:p:22-32
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    3. Riksheim, Eric C. & Chermak, Steven M., 1993. "Causes of police behavior revisited," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 353-382.
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    5. Martin, Allison & Wright, Emily M. & Steiner, Benjamin, 2016. "Formal controls, neighborhood disadvantage, and violent crime in U.S. cities: Examining (un)intended consequences," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 58-65.
    6. Payne, Brian K. & Tewksbury, Richard & Mustaine, Elizabeth Ehrhardt, 2010. "Attitudes about rehabilitating sex offenders: Demographic, victimization, and community-level influences," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 580-588, July.
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    8. Ajilore, Olugbenga, 2017. "Is There a 1033 Effect? Police Militarization and Aggressive Policing," MPRA Paper 82543, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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