NCJ Number
227851
Journal
Journal of Social Issues Volume: 59 Issue: 1 Dated: 2003 Pages: 141-158
Date Published
2003
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study surveyed 911 New York City urban youth - stratified by race, ethnicity, gender, and borough - about their experiences with, attitudes toward, and trust of surveillance in their communities and schools by police, educators, social workers, and guards.
Abstract
First, the data show that across race, ethnicity, and gender, youth report adverse interactions with and low trust in adults in positions of public authority. Second, interactions with police and adults in authority differed by ethnicity and gender. The findings confirm that African-Americans and Latino boys have the highest rates of adverse interactions and mistrust of the police and feel least safe in the city. The young men seemed resigned to such treatment to the point of being unlikely to challenge the injustice of this biased treatment. Compared to the young women, the young men were more likely to have negative interactions with the police. On the other hand, the young women were more likely to experience sexual harassment from police. Third, most of the youth reported that the cumulative impact of adverse interactions with police, security guards, teachers, and store staff was to make them feel unwelcome in public places, and they felt powerless to challenge what they viewed as unwarranted and unfair treatment. On the other hand, the youth recognized that the surveillance stemed from the bad behavior of some youth and that profiling of youth by gender and ethnicity was inevitable. Fifth, school size may be a significant predictor of youths' trust in adults in general. Youth who attend small schools with caring educators report heightened trust in adults, which generalizes to social workers, police, and other educators. These youth are most likely to rely on adults for support and seek assistance for help. 1 table and 36 references