Feelings for Five-O: An Analysis of Factors Affecting Baltimore Youth's Perceptions of Police

Abstract

This research focuses on the factors that influence youth perceptions of police and the implications on legal cynicism in the United States. Through interviews with 151 Baltimore City youth, I analyze the impact of institutional resources, police interactions, and gender on youth opinions towards law enforcement. By giving each interviewee a score that rated their level of participation in resources and level of interactions with police, I was able to uncover themes within different groups of youth supplemented by the qualitative interview data. Through this analysis, I found that kids with participation in more institutional resources and less interactions with officers ultimately had more positive perceptions of police. Further, I found that boys had a more negative perception of police than girls. In researching and analyzing these factors affecting youth perceptions, I hope to highlight the impacts of police on the quality of life for disadvantaged youth and their perceptions.