Sharing the Space, Living Apart: Views on Police Legitimacy and Willingness to Assist in Crime Prevention Among Arabs in Mixed Israeli Cities

Objectives: Research literature rarely examines the differences in attitude toward the police among minority group members living in ethnically homogenous localities as opposed to heterogeneous ones. The present study examined differences in police legitimacy and willingness to help it prevent crime among members of a minority group by comparing those living in homogeneous localities with those living in heterogeneous ones, as well as with the majority group. Methods: The present study is based on data collected during a telephone survey on public attitudes toward the police conducted among a random and representative sample of 1,000 Israelis. Results: A series of multivariate linear regression analyses showed that Arab minority respondents living in heterogeneous localities exhibit the lowest levels of police legitimacy and willingness to help it prevent crime compared to both Arabs living in homogeneous localities and Jews. These findings remain significant when controlling for procedural justice and participants’ socioeconomic characteristics. Conclusions: Living in a heterogeneous locality uniquely affects the attitudes of minority group members toward the police. Police effectiveness and procedural justice do not explain differences between minority members living in homogeneous versus heterogeneous communities in their obligation to obey and assist the police in crime prevention.