Purpose This study examines the early implementation of Project SCOPE, an “untethered” police–social outreach co-response program within the transit police in Philadelphia. Unlike traditional models that embed outreach workers with police, SCOPE deploys social service teams independently while retaining access to police only when necessary. We document how the model functioned in practice during its 27-week pilot phase, focusing on engagement levels, service uptake, fidelity to deployment, and reliance on police support. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on 27 weeks of randomized station-level deployments across seven high-need transit stations on Philadelphia's Market–Frankford subway/elevated line. Outreach teams operated 16 h per day, six days per week, with station assignments randomized weekly. We analyze daily tracker logs documenting the number and nature of outreach engagements, service referrals, and police calls for assistance, as well as fidelity measures capturing adherence to assigned shifts and treatment dosage across stations. Findings SCOPE teams conducted 12,196 engagements with vulnerable individuals, with service acceptance rising early before later fluctuation. Police were requested in only 2.62% of engagements, demonstrating minimal law enforcement reliance. Although deployment fidelity varied due to staffing constraints, outreach teams consistently delivered services at scale, indicating strong implementation feasibility. Research limitations/implications Findings demonstrate the feasibility of an untethered co-response model operating largely independent of police while maintaining safety. The pilot, however, focused only on implementation, not outcomes. Future research should examine whether SCOPE produces measurable impacts. Practical implications SCOPE shows that outreach teams can safely lead crisis response in transit settings with minimal police involvement, offering a resource-efficient alternative to traditional co-response models. Social implications The model promotes care-centered, non-enforcement engagement with vulnerable populations, reducing criminalization risks while improving access to housing, treatment, and health services in public spaces. Originality/value This study provides the first empirical assessment of an untethered co-response model in a major US transit system, advancing evidence beyond traditional police-embedded approaches.
PurposeThe justice gap describes a phenomenon in which most sexual assaults reported to police do not result in arrest, prosecution or conviction. The purpose of this study is to identify and synthesize theoretical frameworks analyzing sexual assault attrition in the United States and propose additional organizational behavior frameworks to extend current research. Design/methodology/approachThis critical review incorporates US literature on sexual assault case attrition where theoretical frameworks are present, with the goal of identifying significant research and key concepts. FindingsDominant theoretical frameworks are identified and grouped into (1) application of law frameworks: legal formalism (legal factors predict the application of law), seriousness of crime (seriousness of the crime as a predictor) and conflict theories (extralegal factors like social status, racism and/or sexism as predictors) and (2) blended or process-based frameworks: social dominance theory (individual and institutional behaviors are driven by legitimizing myths) and focal concerns theory (competing interests operate under resource and time constraints). Bottom-up organizational frameworks such as street-level bureaucracy are presented as an avenue for future research, suggesting a chronic atmosphere of scarcity and bureaucratic stressors influence improper police decision-making, resulting in high rates of attrition. Originality/valueReviews of sexual assault attrition typically focus on statistical outcomes (clearance, prosecution and conviction rates); yet disparate theoretical frameworks have rarely been synthesized. Incorporating organizational and institutional frameworks suggests avenues for future research and intervention targeting root causes of attrition.
Purpose This research explores the experiences of peer supporters in a novel peer support programme developed by an English police force specifically for staff with personal experiences of domestic abuse, examining how this initiative operates within a traditionally hypermasculine organisational culture. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach was employed, utilising interview data from peer supporters participating in the programme. Acker's gendered organisations theory provided the analytical framework to examine how gendered processes are reproduced and resisted when a “gendered organisation” (police force) addresses a “gendered phenomenon” (domestic abuse). Findings The analysis reveals the complex interplay between change and continuity within police organisational culture. While police organisations are often characterised as reinforcing toxic masculinity, this peer support programme demonstrates that addressing domestic abuse – a form of gender-based violence – can create opportunities for cultural shifts in gendered norms. The data illustrate how gendered processes are both perpetuated and challenged within this context, revealing the persistent combinations of transformation and persistence identified by Terpstra and Salet (2019). Originality/value This study contributes to theoretical debates challenging oversimplifications of police culture as monolithic and unchangeable. By examining peer support for domestic abuse within policing, the research identifies specific sites where cultural shifts in gendered norms may be leveraged. The findings offer valuable insights into how hypermasculine organisations can develop supportive mechanisms for gender-based violence, advancing understanding of organisational culture change in policing contexts.
Purpose This study examines how secure base leadership (SBL) exercised by instructors in police academies relates to burnout, work engagement, and cadet performance during training. Drawing on the job demands–resources (JD-R) theory, SBL is conceptualized as an organizational resource that may influence both motivational and strain-related processes during the early stages of police professional formation. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was administered to 1,626 cadets from two national training centers of Carabineros de Chile. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, the study tested direct relationships between SBL and performance, as well as indirect effects through work engagement and burnout. Findings Results showed that SBL was negatively associated with burnout and positively associated with work engagement. SBL was also positively related to performance. In addition, work engagement mediated the relationship between SBL and performance outcomes. Practical implications The findings of this study suggest that instructor behaviors perceived as consistent with SBL may play a key role in sustaining cadet engagement during police training. Approaches that combine emotional support with the encouragement of autonomy and challenge appear especially relevant, given the central mediating role of work engagement. Training programs may benefit from incorporating these principles into instructor development to promote more adaptive forms of engagement and performance in demanding training contexts. Social implications Applying insights from attachment theory to leadership provides a useful lens for understanding leadership in police training. Early exposure to leadership behaviors perceived as supportive and development-oriented may shape patterns of engagement and responses to job demands that extend into later stages of professional practice. These patterns are likely to influence how future officers approach demanding situations, interact with citizens, and perform their professional roles, with potential implications for the quality of police service. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence on SBL in the context of police training in Chile. The findings highlight the relevance of leadership behaviors aligned with the SBL model as organizational resources associated with cadet engagement and performance during the early stages of police careers.
Purpose Social media provides a valuable framework for understanding public sentiment on social issues and institutions, including the police. This paper investigates changes in the salience of (i.e. the proportion of tweets referencing police) and sentiment toward the police during the 2017 Phoenix Trump rally, an event where police deployed less-lethal weapons against protesters, journalists and onlookers without warning. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on tweets posted during the rally, we conducted descriptive analyses and applied micro-level interrupted time series models to examine shifts in both the salience of and sentiment toward the police throughout the event. Findings Analyzing over 440,000 tweets, we found a 226% spike in police salience after police used force against the crowd. This coincided with a significant rise in negative sentiment and an immediate and prolonged decline in positive sentiment toward police. Originality/value The findings offer insights into the impact of police actions on public discourse and expressed sentiment on social media.
Purpose This qualitative study explores the relationship between police departments and social service providers regarding on-site challenges and mental health crisis response.Design/methodology/approach Utilizing a social network recruitment method, the researchers semi-structured interviews with 17 law enforcement and mental health professionals. The researchers conducted thematic and narrative analyses to identify patterns in the data.Findings Four themes emerged around a holistic data-sharing approach to strengthen response and partnerships: (1) deinstitutionalization and limited emergency detention options; (2) the need for dual dispatch and law enforcement liaison projects; (3) community relations and (4) supporting families with loved ones who experience mental health crises through community partnerships.Research limitations/implications Although this study is limited in scope and generalizability, it provides an important foundation for further inquiry. Future research should examine comparative analyses of data-sharing practices and outcomes between law enforcement and mental health professionals.Practical implications The results of this study illustrate the proactive and collaborative strategies unfolding in a metropolitan community. Policy implications support the development of data integration strategies to bolster crisis communication and police response with trained social service professionals.Social implications This study highlights the social implications of data-informed police-mental health partnerships by demonstrating how coordinated information sharing can reduce the risk of violent encounters, improve continuity of care and promote safer outcomes for individuals experiencing mental health crises.Originality/value This study offers original qualitative insight into frontline law enforcement and community mental health providers' experience with data-sharing partnerships during mental health crisis response, a topic that remains underexplored.
Purpose This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between investigative effort (IE) and case outcomes in criminal investigations. While previous work has highlighted the link between IE and case outcomes, the evidentiary strength of this relationship has not been systematically mapped. We examine the empirical evidence on how IE relates to case outcome and map the proposed underlying mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach This review follows Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines to ensure a transparent approach to the selection and analysis of relevant studies. In total, 38 empirical studies, examining at least one form of IE in relation to case outcomes on case level, were systematically coded to answer the research questions. Findings We identified over 60 forms of IE studied in relation to five different case outcomes. Although many studies report a positive association, the operationalization of IE varies greatly, making it difficult to compare findings. Few studies employ rigorous designs, limiting the ability to draw firm conclusions about causality. Mechanisms explaining the relationship are mentioned but remain underexplored. Originality/value This review fills a gap in the literature by systematically assessing the evidence base of the relationship between IE and case outcome, as well as the underlying mechanisms. It highlights the need for more rigorous research designs and explicit testing of proposed mechanisms. These insights could inform policing practices and guide future research aimed at improving criminal investigations.
Purpose Police Athletic Leagues and Police Activities Leagues (PALs) are widely implemented sports-based youth development programs intended to prevent juvenile delinquency and improve social and developmental outcomes among at-risk youth. Despite their prevalence and substantial public investment, the extent and quality of empirical research evaluating PAL effectiveness remain unclear. This study aims to systematically assess the scope of existing scholarly literature evaluating PAL programs and their outcomes, with particular attention to delinquency prevention. Design/methodology/approach A methodologically rigorous scoping review was conducted in accordance with JBI guidance and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Reviews standards. Six major academic databases, Google Scholar and reference lists were systematically searched for US-based studies published since 2000. After screening 1,194 records using predefined inclusion criteria, only three studies were identified as meeting eligibility requirements. Data were extracted and synthesized to assess study focus, methodological rigor and reported outcomes. Findings The review reveals a striking lack of empirical research evaluating PAL programs. Only three studies met the inclusion criteria over a 25-year period, none of which employed robust experimental or longitudinal designs. Existing studies were largely descriptive or limited in scope, providing insufficient evidence to determine whether PALs effectively reduce juvenile delinquency or improve youth developmental outcomes. Overall, the evidence base supporting PAL programs is extremely limited and methodologically weak. Research limitations/implications The absence of rigorous evaluative research raises significant concerns given the widespread implementation and sustained public funding of PAL programs. Policymakers, practitioners and funding agencies currently lack sufficient evidence to assess program effectiveness or guide future investment decisions. The findings underscore the need for systematic, outcome-focused evaluations employing stronger research designs to inform evidence-based policy and practice in youth development and community policing. Originality/value This study is the first scoping review to systematically assess the empirical literature evaluating Police Athletic League programs. By documenting the paucity of evidence and identifying critical research gaps, it provides an agenda-setting contribution to scholarship on sports-based youth interventions and community policing, offering a foundation for future evaluation, policy reform and funding accountability.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and challenges of hate crime training for police, city council and other partner employees in Nottingham, United Kingdom. The paper considers the value of the "hate crime champions" training, based on the perceptions and experiences of police, Nottingham City Council and other partner employees who attended this training.Design/methodology/approach This study utilised a pre- and after-training survey with 159 training attendees to measure the effectiveness of the training.Findings Results show that participants' knowledge and confidence had improved, and they had a better understanding of the impact of hate crime and how they might address it.Originality/value Amid growing social fragmentation and marginalisation, vulnerable communities are increasingly subjected to hate crimes, both in physical spaces and across digital platforms. Yet, existing evidence shows that hate crimes are significantly under-reported and under-recorded in comparison to non-hate-motivated offences. Despite increased attention to the policing of hate crimes, little is known about the impact of professional police training - an important factor that can directly shape how hate crimes are reported and recorded by officers and other frontline staff. This article directly addresses this gap in the literature.
Purpose Strangulation is one of the strongest predictors of future intimate partner femicide. As first responders who may be the only point of contact for a survivor, it is imperative that police officers are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of strangulation, particularly because few survivors show visible injuries and many do not seek healthcare. The current study assessed strangulation knowledge among police officers in British Columbia, Canada. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from two samples of frontline police officers with and without strangulation training. Findings Police officers in both samples rated strangulation as a high-risk factor for revictimization. The samples differed significantly in their understanding of the importance of a medical-forensic examination for various signs and symptoms of strangulation. Practical implications The results indicate that police officers understand the high risk posed by a victim-survivor’s strangulation, although training is needed to enhance their responses to the signs and symptoms of strangulation. The results highlight the importance of providing frontline police officers with training on IPV strangulation and including IPV strangulation in the risk assessment tools used by police. Originality/value Limited research has examined police officers’ knowledge of and responses to strangulation or the effects of strangulation training.
Purpose This study examines how organizational characteristics and community contexts jointly shape police officer victimization, extending research that has focused mainly on individual encounters. Guided by routine activity theory (RAT) and social disorganization theory (SDT), it considers both institutional capacity and broader environmental conditions. Design/methodology/approach Data from 205 Texas municipal police departments are analyzed by integrating LEMAS (2016 and 2020), NIBRS (2023) and ACS (2020) indicators. Zero inflated negative binomial models with multiple imputations address excess zeros and missing data. Findings Larger agencies and those operating in high risk enforcement environments experience higher levels of officer victimization. Greater patrol car camera coverage and indicators of organizational adjustment correspond with reduced victimization. Community factors, particularly racial and ethnic diversity and concentrated poverty, are positively associated with officer victimization. Originality/value By integrating organizational and community determinants within one framework, the study demonstrates that officer victimization reflects situational exposure, institutional capacity and broader social environments.
Purpose Police chiefs and sheriffs have the crucial responsibility of entering their agencies into collaborations with service providers in their community, such as domestic and sexual violence agencies (DSVAs). This study examines how these leaders perceive and make decisions regarding collaborations. Design/methodology/approach We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 police chiefs and sheriffs in a Southern state and employed thematic analysis. Findings Four key findings demonstrated that law enforcement (LE) leaders balanced their sense of responsibility to victims of domestic and sexual violence with concern for the experiences of frontline officers when responding to domestic and sexual violence incidents. Leaders expressed a desire to know what happens to victims after LE responds in a crisis and described role conflicts between LE and DVSAs. Practical implications Police chiefs and sheriffs should ensure they are modeling the attitudes toward and cultures around domestic violence they want their officers to employ. Victim service providers should provide feedback loops to LE leaders to enhance their commitment and investment in partnerships. Originality/value This study contributes to a limited, but growing body of research examining collaborations between LE and domestic violence service providers from the perspective of police chiefs and sheriffs as the primary decisions-makers for community-level relationships.
Purpose - This study investigates how transformational leadership influences psychological empowerment among police officers, emphasizing the mediating role of organizational culture. Focusing on the Punjab Police, Pakistan, it seeks to illuminate how leadership dynamics and cultural mechanisms shape empowerment within hierarchical policing institutions. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from 412 officers, with 386 valid responses analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the adequacy of the measurement model, and bootstrapping procedures tested the mediation effects. Findings - The SEM results indicate that transformational leadership has a significant positive effect on psychological empowerment (beta = 0.493, p < 0.001). Organizational culture also exerts a significant influence on psychological empowerment (beta = 0.561, p < 0.001) and partially mediates the relationship between transformational leadership and empowerment (indirect effect = 0.231, 95% CI [0.171, 0.302]). Practical implications - The results highlight the importance of integrating transformational leadership training with organizational culture development initiatives. Leadership programs focusing on trust, collaboration, and innovation can enhance officers' intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction, ultimately improving institutional performance and public trust in policing. Originality/value - By empirically testing the mediating role of organizational culture in a South Asian policing context, this study contributes to leadership and empowerment theory. It demonstrates that even within rigid and hierarchical systems, transformational leadership supported by a constructive culture can significantly foster psychological empowerment among police personnel.
Purpose This study explores how police vehicle design influences public perceptions of enforcement capability and driver behaviour. It addresses a gap in the literature on how specific visual elements shape perceived certainty of apprehension, certainty of punishment and the duration of deterrent effects. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 Queensland-licensed drivers aged 18 years and older. Participants commented on the design elements that were most salient to them when it came to police vehicles. Participants also evaluated various police vehicle designs through open-ended questions and image-based rating tasks. A thematic analysis identified themes in perceptions around police vehicle designs and reported behavioural responses. Findings Participants consistently distinguished vehicles by visual cues, particularly the markings and bright colour of the vehicle impacted perceived deterrent effects. Traffic enforcement-focused vehicles, such as Highway Patrol cars and motorcycles, were seen as more deterrent than general duties (GD) vehicles, producing stronger immediate behaviour change and longer-lasting “halo effects”. Vehicle type, base vehicle colour, markings and visible equipment were described differently relative to perceptions of enforcement capability, the perceived role of that vehicle and associated behavioural responses. Practical implications The findings suggest that strategic police vehicle design serves as a force multiplier, enabling agencies to maximise deterrent impact with limited resources. Highly visible, purpose-designed traffic enforcement vehicles may yield greater road safety outcomes than deploying generic police vehicles. Originality/value This research provides a detailed examination of drivers' perception of police vehicle designs and the way in which such designs are associated with deterrence perceptions, offering evidence for consideration during vehicle procurement and deployment strategies to enhance road safety outcomes.
Purpose This study examines how organisational learning influences operational effectiveness, intelligence capability and crime reduction outcomes within a police intelligence organisation operating under a strict hierarchy, high operational risk and complex crime reduction demands.Design/methodology/approach Data was collected through conducting 30 semi-structured interviews with police intelligence personnel. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted.Findings The results reveal that fragmented and informal learning cultures impede organisational learning, weak knowledge management systems, inconsistent access to training, and cultural resistance that discourages reflection, error disclosure, and knowledge sharing. The authors identify a "learning-control paradox" whereby accountability structures intended to ensure control simultaneously inhibit adaptive learning, weaken intelligence processes and undermine operational effectiveness. To address these tensions, the authors developed a Strategic Organisational Learning Implementation Framework to embed learning processes across the intelligence cycle.Research limitations/implications Based on a single police intelligence case, the qualitative findings limit generalisation but offer transferable insights into organisational learning, accountability tensions and implementation challenges in comparable hierarchical intelligence settings.Practical implications The study provides actionable guidance for intelligence leaders by showing how organisational learning can be embedded through routine practices, aligned governance and middle-management leadership without weakening hierarchical accountability.Originality/value This study provides an empirically grounded analysis of organisational learning in a police intelligence environment, offering a theoretically informed and practically applicable framework tailored to hierarchical, high-risk intelligence contexts.
PurposeThis study evaluates the impact of a comprehensive, school-based "Social-Based Policing" program on high school students' attitudes toward security forces in a security-sensitive region (Sirnak, T & uuml;rkiye). It specifically investigates the moderating roles of gender, vicarious family experience and grade level through the interdisciplinary lens of social work and religious education.Design/methodology/approachA quasi-experimental design was employed using a pretest-posttest model with 310 high school students who participated in a multi-modal intervention comprising 19 distinct social and educational activities. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA, MANOVA and Multiple Linear Regression to control for pre-existing attitudes and assess the specific contribution of socio-demographic variables.FindingsThe regression model explained a substantial proportion of the variance in posttest attitudes (R2 = 0.719). While the intervention significantly improved students' "Police Image" and "Emotional Affinity," it was less effective in altering "Professional Attitudes." Female students demonstrated significantly more positive changes. Crucially, a significant negative relationship was found between grade level and attitude, indicating that older adolescents are more resistant to intervention. Furthermore, students with prior negative family experiences with the police exhibited persistent institutional distrust.Research limitations/implicationsThe study utilizes a single-group design without a control group, which limits the ability to fully rule out external variables. Additionally, the sample is restricted to a specific geographical context, and the measure of "family police contact" did not distinguish between the nature of the interaction (e.g. victim vs. suspect).Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that school-based security interventions are most effective when targeted at early adolescence (9th and 10th grades). Programs should integrate soft-skill activities (arts, drama) alongside security education and require the active involvement of school social workers to mitigate the effects of vicarious negative family experiences. To surmount the barrier of intergenerational distrust, security policies must be integrated with the restorative mechanisms of school social work and the value-based grounding of religious education.Social implicationsThe study demonstrates that reframing the police role from a strict law enforcer to a social stakeholder can help de-stigmatize authority in post-conflict regions. It highlights the necessity of an interdisciplinary collaboration between law enforcement, religious educators and social services to foster social cohesion.Originality/valueUnlike studies relying on simple comparisons, this research employs robust regression models to examine youth-police interaction in a non-Western context and from a school social work and values education perspective. It offers unique empirical evidence regarding the age-cynicism effect and the intergenerational transmission of institutional distrust.
Purpose Police agencies face two related crises: police-community relations and staffing. While previous research has focused on how agencies may implement community-oriented policing through officers to improve police-community relations, it has not discussed how staffing tactics may help community-oriented policing. This research reviews both how staffing tactics can signal community-oriented policing to the community and how practitioners perceive the impact of these tactics on staffing levels, community-oriented policing, and other related dimensions. Design/methodology/approach This work draws on a broader research project that assessed perceptions of practitioners regarding 237 tactics for recruitment and selection of police officers. We identified the tactics from reviews of scholarly and gray literature as well as from news reports. We asked practitioners to assess these tactics for their likely impact on staffing levels, community-oriented policing, and several other dimensions. We also assessed the ability of each tactic to signal the agency’s practice of community-oriented policing to the community. Findings Tactics that were perceived to be highly effective for community policing were also likely to signal the practice of community policing to the community. Tactics that perform well for both advancing community policing and increasing staffing levels were often effective on other dimensions such as workload management, immediacy of effect, ease of implementation, and quality of policing. Originality/value Our work extends research on community-oriented policing into staffing, applies signaling theory to police recruitment and staffing practices, and notes tradeoffs in tailoring community-oriented policing and staffing solutions to individual agency needs.
Purpose The purpose of our study is to explore how police respond to reported cases of police sexual violence (PSV). Design/methodology/approach This study uses annual police oversight agency reports and newspaper accounts to explore police responses to police sexual violence in South Africa. Findings We find that about 100–130 police officers are reported for rape by their respective police agencies to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) every year. The analyses of the disciplinary pipeline reveal that a small proportion of police officers reported for rape – fewer than one-tenth – were convicted in internal disciplinary procedures, and even fewer – only about one in twenty – were eventually unconditionally dismissed by their police agencies. Research limitations/implications Based on the analyses of rape-by-police cases provided by the police to a police oversight agency, our study excludes cases in which the victims either did not report or were unsuccessful in reporting their PSV to the police. Practical implications The results of our study demonstrate that an oversight police agency, dependent upon the police to report cases of rape-by-police, is limited in its independence. Furthermore, our study shows that because the IPID only recommends discipline to the police, the likelihood of discipline being meted out for rape-by-police cases is low. Originality/value Previous literature on police sexual violence has barely touched upon police responses to police sexual violence. Our study examines the disciplinary pipeline and the attrition in it. In addition, extant literature on PSV primarily originates in Western democracies. We focus on South Africa, not only a country from the rarely studied Global South, but also a country in which some cultural norms are tolerant of gender-based violence.
PurposeThis study aims to examine how trust in the police shapes reporting decisions for theft and robbery and whether this relationship varies by offense type, race and crime characteristics in a Global South context.Design/methodology/approachUsing nationally representative survey data on victims of theft and robbery in Brazil, crime reporting is conceptualized as a post-victimization decision under uncertainty. Separate probit models are estimated for theft (N = 3,417) and robbery (N = 677). Results are presented as average marginal effects, controlling for prior victimization, socioeconomic characteristics and crime attributes, including incidents involving vehicles, documents or mobile phones.FindingsTrust in the police is positively associated with reporting for both types of offenses, but the magnitude differs substantially. The association is considerably stronger for robbery than for theft and is amplified in incidents involving higher material or administrative stakes. Non-white victims are consistently less likely to report, even after accounting for trust and socioeconomic differences, suggesting that racial disparities in engagement with the criminal justice system extend beyond attitudinal factors.Originality/valueBy distinguishing between theft and robbery and incorporating crime-specific attributes, the study refines existing debates on trust and reporting behavior. Focusing on Brazil contributes evidence from the Global South to a literature largely centered on the Global North and highlights how institutional trust, structural inequality and instrumental incentives jointly shape crime reporting.
Purpose To examine the role of police as gatekeepers to the criminal justice system through their use of diversionary mechanisms in response to sexual offending. Design/methodology/approach The study involves statistical analyses of existing police administrative data (from 2012–21) obtained from one Australian jurisdiction, Queensland. Findings Young people were more likely to receive a diversionary response than adults (i.e. more than 99%), with diversionary actions increasing slightly over time, and most being police cautions (i.e. 84.9%). Compared to young males, young females were more likely to receive a diversionary response, which was more likely to be a caution than a conference referral. This pattern was consistent over time; young people from First Nations backgrounds were less likely to receive a diversionary response than non-Indigenous young people, but if they received one, they were more likely to be referred to a restorative justice conference than non-Indigenous young people. This was also a consistent pattern over time. Research limitations/implications This study highlights the need for further research into the factors shaping police use of diversion in sexual offence cases, to better understand in what circumstances it is being used, and where it could be leveraged further, as appropriate. Originality/value This study offers a novel exploration of police actions in response to sexual offending, focusing on the mechanism of police diversion. It delineates the use of diversionary options over time, across offence types, and by gender, age and cultural heritage, providing fresh insights into the use of diversion in policing practice for sexual offence cases.
