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Police legitimacy and support for vigilante violence in Pakistan

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Asif, M 

Abstract

Bottoms and Tankebe recently analysed the multidimensional nature of police legitimacy and made an argument for its relevance to social order. Using survey data from three communities of varying socioeconomic conditions in Pakistan, this paper examines the links between the multiple dimensions of the Bottoms-Tankebe model of police legitimacy and support for vigilante violence. The findings show overall high levels of support for vigilantism. Regression analysis shows that experiences of police illegality consistently predict support for vigilantism across the three communities. Perceived quality of police decision-making predicts support for vigilantism in some conditions but not others. Contrary to expectations, quality of interpersonal treatment by police and police effectiveness do not explain support for vigilantism. We also found no evidence to show that feelings of obligation to obey the police mediate the influence of police legitimacy on vigilante support. The implications of these findings are discussed in this paper.

Description

Keywords

legitimacy, vigilantism, lawfulness, procedural justice, corruption, dialogic legitimacy

Journal Title

International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0192-4036
2157-6475

Volume Title

Publisher

Informa UK Limited
Sponsorship
International Development Research Centre Canada (IDRC), Sustainable Development Policy Institute Pakistan