Why do people cooperate with the police and criminal courts? A test of procedural justice theory in 30 countries

Abstract

This article presents a cross-national test of the portability of procedural justice theory (PJT). Drawing on nationally representative survey data from 30 diverse social, political, and legal contexts across Europe and beyond, we find that the theory travels well across national borders and that its psychological purchase is particularly pronounced in societies where fair policing is considered the norm. First, in most countries, a normative account of public cooperation with the police—grounded in procedural justice and legitimacy—has greater empirical traction than an instrumental account based on effectiveness and fear of crime. Second, although procedural justice consistently emerges as the strongest predictor of police legitimacy, it is especially important in contexts where the police are widely viewed as fair and inclusive authorities—a proxy for their status as a positive group authority. These findings help lay the groundwork for cross-national extensions of PJT, pointing to the need for further research into the social and institutional conditions that shape its psychological impact.