Ethnicity, Imprisonment, and Confidence in Police and Courts: Evidence from an International Survey
June 16th, 2025
The article “Ethnicity, Imprisonment, and Confidence in Police and Courts: Evidence from an International Survey”, written by Timothy L. O’Brien and published in Social Problems (Vol. 72, No. 1, 2025), presents a study that examines the sources of ethnic disparities in trust in legal institutions, with a particular focus on the police and courts.
Starting from the assumption that members of majority ethnic groups tend to express higher levels of trust in legal authorities than minority groups, the author utilizes data from the World Values Survey (WVS), based on a sample of 99,480 individuals across 59 countries. The study tests the hypothesis that ethnic differences in confidence in the police and courts stem from power imbalances between majority and minority groups, and that these disparities are amplified in societies with more punitive legal systems. The primary aim of the study is to assess whether ethnic minorities demonstrate lower levels of trust in legal authorities compared to majority populations, and whether these differences are more pronounced in countries with more punitive legal systems. The article provides a comparative perspective that enhances the global understanding of these dynamics.
To read and download the article, click here.