Police-Minority Relations.pdf

Citizen satisfaction and confidence in the police in America rebounded in 2016, with 76% of Americans indicating they had "a great deal" of confidence in the police. However, a national disconnect persists between law enforcement and racial and ethnic minority groups, with African-Americans and Hispanics expressing less satisfaction and confidence in the police.

Multicultural training for law enforcement officers is often recommended, but research evidence shows it has no effect on officer attitudes and behaviors. Three studies found that multicultural diversity training had no positive influence on officer attitudes, and research on multicultural training more broadly also shows limited or no impact on attitudes and behavior.

Instead, programs that foster intergroup contact, such as cooperative work or leisure activities, have been shown to reduce biased attitudes and improve relationships between people of different backgrounds. Research by Princeton University Psychologist Elizabeth Paluck found that when people work together on a project or engage in activities together, their biased attitudes decline and remain consistent for long periods after the experience.

Key findings include:

76% of Americans have "a great deal" of confidence in the police, but African-Americans and Hispanics have less satisfaction and confidence.
Multicultural training has no positive influence on officer attitudes and behaviors.
Intergroup contact programs can reduce biased attitudes and improve relationships between people of different backgrounds.
Research evidence shows that traditional multicultural training has no significant positive influence on attitudes or behavior.