'Reflecting All Shades of Opinion': Public Attitudinal Surveys' and the Construction of Police Legitimacy in Northern Ireland

Posted: 16 Jul 2008 Last revised: 14 May 2011

See all articles by Graham Ellison

Graham Ellison

Queen's University Belfast - School of Law

Date Written: 2000

Abstract

This article examines the role of attitudinal survey data in constructing legitimacy for the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in Northern Ireland. It argues that such surveys have been adopted as an important and influential instrument in the manufacture of consent in a society where the relationship between the RUC and the nationalist/Catholic community has historically been problematic. The article highlights a number of fundamental problems--both of methodology and interpretation -- in the use of such surveys. Utilizing unique primary data it will be demonstrated that traditional attitudinal surveys have consistently over-represented nationalist/Catholic support for the RUC and drawn rather tendentious correlations between 'quality of service' delivery and issues of legitimation and public acceptability.

Suggested Citation

Ellison, Graham, 'Reflecting All Shades of Opinion': Public Attitudinal Surveys' and the Construction of Police Legitimacy in Northern Ireland (2000). British Journal of Criminology, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 88-111, 2000, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1160596

Graham Ellison (Contact Author)

Queen's University Belfast - School of Law ( email )

School of Law
Belfast BT7 1NN, BT7 1NN
Ireland

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