Public Attitudes About Body-Worn Cameras in Police Work: A National Study of the Sources of Their Contextual Variability. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Miethe, Terance D.; Lieberman, Joel D.; Heen, Miliaikeala S. J.; Sousa, William H.
• Other Names: Crow Matthew S. guest-editor.; Smykla John Ortiz guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Criminal justice review. Volume 44:Number 3(2019:Sep.)
• Page Start: 263
• Page End: 283
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: body cameras -- public attitudes -- contextual variability; Criminal justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; 345.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0734016819846241
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0734-0168

Abstract

Based on a large national sample of U.S. adults, the current study examines the nature and correlates of public support for body-worn cameras (BWCs) in various policing activities. Multivariate analyses were performed to assess the direct and moderating effects of individuals' socioeconomic characteristics, general police attitudes and experiences, and specific beliefs about benefits of BWCs on the level of public support for this technology. Strong public support for BWC usage is found across different areas of police work. However, substantial contextual variability in this support is also evident when the analysis focused on the conjunctive influences of individuals' level of confidence in social institutions, personal involvement in these institutions, and beliefs about police legitimacy and their effectiveness. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research on the sources of public receptivity, resistance, and change in these attitudes about BWCs over time.