ABSTRACT
Effective operation of the criminal justice system is dependent upon the level of trust people have in the system. The police, one of the foundations of the criminal justice system, must maintain high public trust if the system is to perform its mission to the fullest. Public trust can exist only when the police execute their duties with fairness, equity, professionalism, and firmness. Trust enhances police effectiveness and legitimizes police actions (Lea & Young, 1984; Lyons, 2002; National Research Council, 2004; Sunshine & Tyler, 2003). Hence, for the police to change public trust, as Goldsmith (2003) has noted, the police must provide the basic citizen security. Trust, through its presumption of benevolence, dedication, and a shared ethical framework
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 63 Theoretical Perspectives ...................................................................................... 65 Factors Influencing Trust in the Police .............................................................. 67 Policing in Ghana and Public Trust ................................................................... 69 Hypotheses ............................................................................................................ 71 Method ................................................................................................................... 72
Study Participants and Sampling Technique ................................................ 72 Measures ................................................................................................................ 72
Dependent Variables ....................................................................................... 72 Independent Variables .................................................................................... 73 Control Variables ..............................................................................................74
