Table 2 Descriptive statistics of the group-based law enforcement mistrust scale (GBLEMS; N = 218)
Mean (SD) | % Disagree | % Neutral | % Agree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall score | 3.36 (0.87) | – | – | – |
Individual items | ||||
1. Law enforcement officers sometimes hide information from people who belong to your racial group | 3.63 (1.26) | 21% | 17% | 61% |
*2. Law enforcement officers have the best interests of people of your racial group in mind | 2.51 (1.10) | 54% | 26% | 20% |
3. People of your racial group should not confide in law enforcement officers because it will be used against them | 3.23 (1.19) | 31% | 27% | 42% |
4. People of your racial group should be suspicious of information from law enforcement officers | 3.18 (1.16) | 33% | 24% | 43% |
5. People of your racial group cannot trust law enforcement officers | 3.12 (1.14) | 33% | 27% | 40% |
6. People of your racial group should be suspicious of the criminal justice system | 3.53 (1.21) | 25% | 15% | 60% |
7. Law enforcement officers treat people of your racial group like “animals.” | 3.21 (1.19) | 30% | 25% | 45% |
*8. People of your racial group receive the same protection from law enforcement officers as people from other groups | 2.58 (1.20) | 56% | 14% | 30% |
9. Law enforcement officers do not take the complaints of people of your racial group seriously | 3.27 (1.12) | 30% | 22% | 48% |
*10. People of your racial group are treated the same as people of other groups by law enforcement officers | 2.36 (1.13) | 64% | 15% | 21% |
*11. In most courts, people of different racial groups receive the same kind of treatment from the judge | 2.60 (1.20) | 54% | 17% | 29% |
12. You have personally been treated poorly or unfairly by law enforcement officers because of your race | 3.17 (1.30) | 42% | 12% | 46% |