Non-police Intervention Consideration by Ethnic Minorities: The Case of Arab Citizens of Israel

ABSTRACT

This study examined the factors affecting consideration of other ways than turning to the police, or non-police intervention, following potential victimization by members of ethnic minority. Performance, procedural justice, and social disorganization theories served as the study’s theoretical framework. The data were obtained from the 2019 Personal and Community Security Index Survey conducted in Israel and analyzed using logistic regression model. The analytical sample included 692 Arab citizens of Israel. Greater satisfaction with the police and high trust in the police were negatively associated with the consideration of non-police intervention. In contrast, perception of the increase in locality violence compared to the previous year and prior victimization were positively associated with the consideration of non-police intervention. The results imply that the police should improve their performance in Israel’s Arab society and direct efforts to the establishment more trustful relationship with its members, especially in localities experiencing increased violence.

KEYWORDS:

• Arab society
• locality violence
• non-police intervention
• satisfaction with the police
• trust in the police
• victimization

Consent for participation

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. The participants cannot be identified in any way via the manuscript, and the authors have fully anonymized them.

Data availability statement

The data will be provided upon request.

Disclosure statement

No potential competing interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a contribution from the Abraham Initiatives and the Samuel Neaman Institute for National Policy Research at the Technion.