Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Criminal Justice
Advisor
Clarence Williamson
Abstract
The implementation of policies and initiatives often have adverse effects, causing societal harm or encouraging unprecedented events. Proactive policing strategies like Stop and Frisk Initiatives or similar tactics have historically caused trust issues between Missouri law enforcement and the community they protect and serve, complicating an inevitable relationship needed to enhance public safety. This research sought to examine how community public perception and social constructions influence government laws and statutes in Saint Louis. The theory that guided this study was the Social Constructions of Target Populations Theory; the case study examined how implicit biases in law enforcement shape the perceptions of citizens in the inner city of Saint Louis. The research also investigated the social constructions of a target population molded by an individual’s interactions with law enforcement. Data were collected from interviews with five community stakeholders and five police officers. Interviews were conducted using Zoom. Interviews were coded and analyzed to find links between the research and the findings concerning the original research question. The research identified that there was a disconnect between law enforcement, and social constructs of all individuals influence the laws voted for and implemented in Missouri. This study contributes to positive social change by assisting law enforcement management with identifying barriers between law enforcement and the community. Acknowledging the barriers encourages understanding, understanding promotes positive social change while strengthening this relationship and public safety.
Recommended Citation
Carter, Tyrone, "A Social Constructivism View of Police Community Relations in Saint Louis' Inner-City Communities" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12938.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12938
