Authenticity, Coherence, and Power Shifts: A Framework for Assessing Community Engagement Across the Criminal Justice System
Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
Criminal justice agencies increasingly use community engagement practices in efforts to improve public safety and garner legitimacy. While crime rates can be measured, improved legitimacy is harder to gauge. This article provides a framework to assess the influence of community engagement practices in the criminal justice system on legitimacy in three areas: authenticity, coherence in structure, and shifts in power dynamics. We explore each component through case studies of community policing, consent decrees, and community courts, respectively. We propose that this framework could be used to assess or build the capacity of community engagement to repair relationships with marginalised communities. (Author Abstract)
Description
item.page.type
Article
item.page.format
Keywords
Measures, Instrument Development, Accountability, Community-police Relations, Community-engaged, Community Perceptions, Criminal Justice Reform, Legitimacy, Public Safety, Relationship Building, Trust, Community Policing, Policies, Community Courts, Courts, Specialty Courts
Citation
Werth, S.R., Comfort, M., Demichele, M. and Lattimore, P.K. (2020). Authenticity, Coherence, and Power Shifts: A Framework for Assessing Community Engagement Across the Criminal Justice System. The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice. doi:10.1111/hojo.12367