Date

4-7-2026

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)

Chair

Sean C. Grier

Keywords

Use of force, cultivation theory, perception, media

Disciplines

Communication | Sociology

Abstract

Police use of force has long been a concern within law enforcement, but in recent decades, it has faced increasing scrutiny from the general public and across all sectors of society, sparking widespread debate on the practice. The rise of body-worn cameras (BWCs) and the prevalence of cell phone recordings of police incidents have amplified attention on the issue. Media representations of police use of force are influential in bringing together or shaping public opinion and often encapsulate ideological biases; the pervasive publicity associated with such incidents provides a unique opportunity for detailed examination of the underlying relationship between media accounts and societal views. This quantitative study seeks to determine the degree to which media coverage of police use of force influences public perception of law enforcement. This research will be based on the survey approach and has, therefore, focused its key data collection on confidence in the police, perceived legitimacy of police behavior, and differential media use in order to examine any significant link between pattern and level of media consumption and public view for a description of how media representation empirically influences perceptions about police use of force. This study quantifies the relationship between media consumption and perceptions of police use of force to inform policy decisions and enhance transparency.

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