The Threat of Appearing Racist: Stereotype Threat and Support for Coercion Among Australian Police Officers

• Date: 01 June 2021
• Published date: 01 June 2021
• Author: Molly Mccarthy,Rick Trinkner,Phillip Atiba Goff
• DOI: 10.1177/0093854821993513
• Subject Matter: Articles

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND BEHAVIOR, 2021, Vol. 48, No. 6, June 2021, 776 –790.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854821993513

Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions

© 2021 International Association for Correctional and Forensic Psychology

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THE THREAT OF APPEARING RACIST

Stereotype Threat and Support for Coercion

Among Australian Police Officers

MOLLY MCCARTHY

Griffith University

RICK TRINKNER

Arizona State University

PHILLIP ATIBA GOFF

Yale University

Center for Policing Equity

Recent research in the United States has argued that the threat of confirming the “racist cop” stereotype may paradoxically

increase the propensity for coercive policing by depressing officers’ self-legitimacy. The current study aimed to assess the

influence of the threat of the “racist cop” stereotype on officers’ self-legitimacy and their attitudes toward force in an Australian

policing jurisdiction. An online survey was completed by 306 frontline officers in Queensland, Australia. Structural equation

modeling was used to assess the influence of stereotype threat on officers’ attitudes toward force, and the extent to which this

is mediated by perceptions of self-legitimacy. The findings confirmed previous findings, with increased officer perceptions of

stereotype threat associated with increased support for coercive policing, mediated by reduced self-legitimacy. The findings

are discussed with reference to how the validity and salience of the “racist cop” stereotype can be diminished.

Keywords: police coercion; use of force; stereotype threat; self-legitimacy; racial disparities

Experiences of racially or ethnically biased policing practices have been reported across

most Western democracies, including the United States (Chaney & Robertson, 2013;

Richardson & Goff, 2014), the United Kingdom (Hallsworth, 2006), European countries

(Miller et al., 2008), and Australia (Sivasubramaniam & Goodman-Delahunty, 2008). These

experiences have given rise to accusations of police racism across a number of jurisdictions

AUTHORS’ NOTE: We thank the Queensland Police Service (QPS) for their assistance with this research.

The views expressed in this material are those of the authors and are not those of the QPS. Responsibility for

any errors of omission or commission remains with the authors. The QPS expressly disclaims any liability for

any damage resulting from the use of the material contained in this publication and will not be responsible

for any loss, howsoever arising, from use of or reliance on this material. Correspondence concerning this

article should be addressed to Molly McCarthy, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, 176

Messines Ridge Road, Brisbane, Queensland 4122, Australia; e-mail: molly.mccarthy@griffith.edu.au.

993513CJBXXX10.1177/0093854821993513Criminal Justice and BehaviorMcCarthy et al. / STEREOTYPE THREAT & OFFICER SUPPORT FOR COERCION

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