RT Article
T1 Examining Public Perceptions of Government Exploitation of National Emergencies
JF Criminal justice and behavior
VO 52
IS 12
SP 1779
OP 1796
A1 Patterson, Silas L.
A1 MouleJr., Richard K.
A1 Burruss, George W.
A2 MouleJr., Richard K.
A2 Burruss, George W.
LA English
YR 2025
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1940264588
AB The public expects governments to effectively respond to emergencies. These responses can raise concerns that governments are exploiting emergencies, consolidating power and infringing upon civil liberties. Despite these concerns, little research has explicitly examined perceptions that governments exploit emergencies or the possible correlates of these perceptions. Using a national sample of 600 American adults surveyed in the spring of 2020, and drawing from the legal socialization literature, we investigate: (a) the psychometric properties of a construct measuring perceptions of government exploitation during national emergencies, and (b) the correlates of these perceptions. Our findings indicate that these perceptions are distinct from other legal attitudes found in the legal socialization framework. These perceptions are significantly associated with distrust in government institutions, legal cynicism, and police legitimacy. We discuss policy implications and future research directions, highlighting the importance of these perceptions in effectively responding to national crises.
K1 Legitimacy
K1 Legal socialization
K1 Legal cynicism
K1 institutional distrust
K1 government exploitation
DO 10.1177/00938548251359567