Does procedural justice matter to youth? Comparing adults’ and youths’ willingness to collaborate with police

Public cooperation with police is essential for the effective management of crime and disorder. Understanding factors that shape young people's willingness to cooperate and collaborate with the police is important because young people are more likely than adults to come into contact with police. Research with adults suggests that police use of procedural justice is important for encouraging adults' cooperation with police. This study examines the importance of procedural justice for fostering youth collaboration with police. Using survey data collected from 513 adolescents and 2611 adults, results indicate that procedural justice is in fact more important to youth than it is to adults. A theoretical explanation is offered for why this may be the case and the implications for determining how the police can foster better relationships with young people will be discussed.