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Policing and the Legacies of Wartime State Predation: Evidence from a Survey and Field Experiment in Liberia

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  • Robert A. Blair
  • Benjamin S. Morse

Abstract

How does violence during civil war shape citizens’ willingness to trust and rely on state security providers in the post-conflict period? Can post-conflict security sector reform restore perceptions of state security forces among victims of wartime state predation? Using a survey and field experiment in Liberia, we show that rebel-perpetrated violence is strongly positively correlated with trust and reliance on the police after conflict is over, while state-perpetrated violence is not. Victims of wartime state predation are, however, more likely to update their priors about the police in response to positive interactions with newly reformed police officers. We also show that abuses committed by police officers in the post-conflict period are negatively correlated with citizens’ perceptions of the police, potentially counteracting the positive effects of security sector reform. We corroborate our quantitative findings with detailed qualitative observations of interactions between civilians and police officers in the field.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert A. Blair & Benjamin S. Morse, 2021. "Policing and the Legacies of Wartime State Predation: Evidence from a Survey and Field Experiment in Liberia," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 65(10), pages 1709-1737, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:jocore:v:65:y:2021:i:10:p:1709-1737
    DOI: 10.1177/00220027211013096
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maarten J Voors & Erwin H Bulte, 2014. "Conflict and the evolution of institutions: Unbundling institutions at the local level in Burundi," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 51(4), pages 455-469, July.
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