ABSTRACT
The basic virtues of the judeo-christian tradition such as honesty and respect for life lie at the core of criminal laws in western nations. The police and the courts exist to protect these societal values through the investigation, prosecution and punishment of violations of the criminal law. This chapter focuses on public support for the police and courts. On most of the dimensions, at least half of the respondents in each ethnic group provide very favorable ratings of the police. Race is the most important divider of opinion with fewer Caucasian-Americans compared to African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans believing that the police often use excessive force. The dissatisfaction of African-Americans focuses on unethical and unfair treatment rather than the effectiveness of the police to protect them. From 1991 to 1993, almost one-third of African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans adults rated the honesty and ethical standards of the police as low or very low.
