Getting “The Talk”: Racial Differences in Messages Received From Parents About the Police

Abstract

The role of parents in shaping children's attitudes toward the police is an underexplored mechanism in legal socialization. Families may engage in conversations, like “the Talk,” to prepare children to navigate police encounters, but it is unclear if this is unique to Black families. This study sought to elucidate what content makes up the messages young people receive about the police and how messages may differ across racial-ethnic groups. We used factor analysis and analyses of covariance to identify messages 720 young adults, who identified as White, Black, or Latine, received from parents about the police. Black young adults were more likely than White or Latine young adults to have received messages about Police Danger, less likely than White or Latine young adults to have received messages about Police as Protectors, and more likely than White young adults to have received messages about Safety and Compliance. We establish and contextualize the existence of racial-ethnic differences in legal socialization and highlight the need to improve relationships between police and those they serve, particularly within Black communities.