Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2010
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Sociology and Anthropology
Committee Chair
James Nolan.
Committee Co-Chair
Jennifer Steele
Committee Member
Ronald Althouse
Abstract
This research investigates the relationship between two aspects of social cohesion on perceived police efficacy: (1) Sense of community, which is related to individual belonging and attachment to a place, as well as and trust and influence among residents; and (2) Collective efficacy, which is defined as cohesion among residents, combined with shared expectations for the social control of public spaces. Based in social disorganization theory and social cognitive theory, this study analyzes to what extent sense of community and collective efficacy affect perceptions of police work. This study was conducted in with residents from four neighborhoods from Wilmington, DE. Face-to-face household surveys were undertaken with randomly selected residents, resulting in 179 valid cases. Results show that collective efficacy was consistently the best predictor of perceived police efficacy.
Recommended Citation
Rodrigues, Ellen Belchior, "Sense of community, collective efficacy, and perceived police efficacy: Research from a social cognitive perspective" (2010). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 856.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/856