The effectiveness of procedural justice training on police officers’ support for its usage in policing

Purpose The procedural justice model posits that individuals who interact with members of the criminal justice system place significant value on the fairness of the processes. This research aims to explore changes in police officers’ perception of procedural justice after receiving a one-day training program. Design/methodology/approach A total of 360 officers were trained in procedural justice and surveyed pre- and post-training, and the training program’s effectiveness has been tested. A dependent samples t-test was employed. Findings The results suggested an improvement in officers’ perceptions of procedural justice in routine practices and during traffic stops following the training. However, the program was not significantly associated with officers’ self-assessment of procedural justice. Research limitations/implications The sample of the study comprises officers from southern New Jersey. There were no officers who attended the training from large metropolitan agencies, which limits the generalizability of the findings. No assessments were made to examine whether officers reflected what they had learned during the training in their attitudes on the job. The evaluation of the training program is limited to the changes in officers’ perceptions. Practical implications Given that the findings indicate increased support for procedural justice techniques, agencies should consider adopting programs to teach officers how to apply procedural justice in practice and secure support for its implementation. Originality/value The training materials used, the time spent, the instructors and their field experience and the rapport built with the officers make the training program stand out among other procedural justice training programs. The leading trainers in the program were academics with practitioner backgrounds. The start date of the training was right before the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and almost all the sessions were delivered following the incident, which makes the program unique in terms of the timing of its delivery.