Diverging Realities: Differential George Floyd Effects on Violence Against the Police

Abstract

Objectives

A series of controversial police use-of-force incidents over the past decade has spurred research into their effects on police–community relationships and their ability to provoke an increase in violence against police. While findings have been mixed, with many studies suggesting that concerns about such violence are unfounded, others have found support for changes in violence against the police. This study expands on prior research on police assaults by considering how communities’ socioeconomic contexts might shape the effects of such events.

Methods

Using data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the current study examines the impact of George Floyd's death on police assaults across 2,953 jurisdictions.

Results

The findings reveal a 36.3% increase in injurious assault incident rates during the month following the event, with the largest increases observed in communities marked by high degrees of income inequality and residential segregation.

Conclusions

This study underscores how broader ecological characteristics can shape community responses to crises of police legitimacy.

Keywords

police assaults police–citizen violence social inequality community context

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