Date of Award
Fall 12-2017
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Criminal Justice
First Advisor
Alan Thompson
Advisor Department
Criminal Justice
Abstract
Relationships between racial / ethnic minorities and law enforcement officers in the United States have long been a topic of concern. Given that Hispanics represent the largest racial / ethnic minority population in the United States, the nature of their collective and individual relationships with law enforcement is a topic worthy of empirical examination. Surprisingly, however, there is limited research specifically focusing upon the beliefs, perceptions and attitudes of Hispanics regarding law enforcement officers. This exploratory study examines the beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes of 101 Hispanics in South central Mississippi toward local law enforcement agencies and officers. Furthermore, the study examines the willingness of Hispanics to report various forms of crime. The findings of this study indicate that respondents manifested generally positive beliefs, perceptions and attitudes regarding law enforcement officers and indicated a willingness to report serious crimes. The study also indicates that more work needs to be done to enhance the relationship between members of the Hispanic immigrant community and law enforcement officers and agencies. The study also indicates a need for further empirical exploration of the topic and advanced methods of statistical analysis.
Copyright
Copyright for this thesis is owned by the author. It may be freely accessed by all users. However, any reuse or reproduction not covered by the exceptions of the Fair Use or Educational Use clauses of U.S. Copyright Law or without permission of the copyright holder may be a violation of federal law. Contact the administrator if you have additional questions.
Recommended Citation
Pugh, Brittany N., "The Perceptions and Attitudes of Hispanics toward Law Enforcement Officers" (2017). Honors Theses. 543.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/543