Abstract
This study examined structural correlates of police effectiveness in 28 market democracies. It found that perceptions of police effectiveness rose in countries with low homicide rates, independent judiciaries, and high income. Greater political freedoms and a lower robbery rate were associated with low police effectiveness. The size of police forces and population and unemployment rates were largely irrelevant. Findings demonstrated the basic dependence of quality policing on good judicial governance and a healthy economy. Making the police more effective requires reform of more than the police. In postmodern democracies, effective policing will require improved media portrayal of crime and increased democratization of police tactics and strategies.
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