How Contextual Exposure to Police Killings Shapes Sociopolitical Attitudes

• In Event: Violence, Trauma, and Urban Politics

Abstract

In this study, we contend that living in areas with high rates of officer-involved-killings has deleterious, corrosive effects on citizens’ social outlook and political orientation. We employ both the 2016 and 2020 Collaborative Multiracial Post Election Surveys and merge FBI Crime data, Census data, and data from the “Mapping Police Violence” project to examine citizens’ perceptions of discrimination, feelings of social alienation, and trust in government. Our expectation is that exposure to police killings darkens citizen’s social and political perspective, increasing their perceived discrimination, feelings of alienation, and reducing their feelings of trust towards government. In addition, we expect the effect of contextual exposure to police killings will be greater for Black citizens compared to White citizens.

Authors

• Regina Branton, University of North Carolina Charlotte

• Tony E. Carey, University of Pittsburgh