ABSTRACT
Procedural Justice Theory is a dominant paradigm in scholarly thinking about the relationship between the police and the public. Yet, to date, it has barely been applied to how the police engage with rape victim-survivors. Procedural Justice Theory posits that how officers treat people in direct encounters – in particular, whether officers afford a person voice, fairness, dignity, and respect – can affect a person’s sense of identity and belonging within society. Perceptions of procedural fairness also shape people’s trust in the police, which in turn is a key determinant of a person’s willingness to cooperate with the police, for example, by reporting a crime or supporting an investigation. This chapter integrates feminist-informed victim-survivor research with Procedural Justice Theory and discusses the practical utility of an integrated framework for improving police engagement with victim-survivors.
