Immigrant perceptions of the police : rose-tinted bifocals in the receiving state

This is one of the first Canadian empirical studies to explore immigrant effects on perceptions of police at a national level. Using the 2009 General Social Survey on Victimization, this paper explores the effects of immigrant status on evaluations of the police. Findings support and contradict current theory, showing that recent immigrants arriving from non-democratic states are associated with stronger positive views of the police. Findings also suggest that visible minority status and community disorder are associated with a higher tendency toward negative perceptions of the police. Recommendations included increased diversity of representation in the police ranks and a continued commitment to decreasing visible signs of crime at the community level.