Procedural Justice Training: The Norfolk Model with a Focus on Race Relations

There is an expanse of the literature suggesting that procedural justice plays a significant role in influencing the perception of police legitimacy in the eyes of citizens. It has become increasingly clear that the public is concerned with whether the police act justly and equitably and that people are more willing to comply with officers’ requests, support the police, and obey the law if the police deliver procedural justice during encounters. Up until recently, however, efforts in connecting the research about legitimacy and procedural justice with law enforcement training have been very limited. The need to link the two areas is highlighted in the Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and its accompanying implementation guide.