Trust in justice

This article considers what it means for citizens to trust the police and criminal courts. First, a broad definition of trust is outlined. Four theories of trust formation and reproduction are then used to derive a set of propositions concerning the sources of trust in the legal system and the facto...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bradford, B, Jackson, J, Hough, M
Other Authors: Uslaner, EM
Format: Book section
Language:English
Published: Oxford University Press 2017
Description
Summary:This article considers what it means for citizens to trust the police and criminal courts. First, a broad definition of trust is outlined. Four theories of trust formation and reproduction are then used to derive a set of propositions concerning the sources of trust in the legal system and the factors that sustain and/or undermine it. A brief review of existing criminological research that provides evidence on the relevance of these factors is also provided. The article closes with a discussion of the relationship between the concepts of trust and legitimacy in the context of the criminal justice system.