Public contacts with Russian police in life-threatening situations

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine key factors responsible for unwillingness of Russian respondents to contact police in life-threatening situations.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a survey data (n=5,088) collected during 1998-2007 in Volgograd, Russia. The multivariate regression is employed for data analysis.

Findings

Findings of this study suggest that pervasive public distrust and dissatisfaction of police institution coupled with fear of police abuse and negative previous experiences with crime reporting are responsible for citizens’ unwillingness to contact Russian police.

Research limitations/implications

The findings imply that both instrumental and normative approaches to the police legitimacy are useful when explaining the issues of public-police cooperation in Russia.

Practical implications

Paper also has practical implications pertinent to the 2011 police reform in Russia.

Originality/value

The study also provides an original empirical research in previously under-research area of public-police cooperation in Russia and advances the understanding of Russian police by using the process-based model of policing.

Citation

Semukhina, O. (2014), "Public contacts with Russian police in life-threatening situations", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 37 No. 2, pp. 420-437. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-05-2013-0053