1. 1
Panel 2, Position 4
Jack D. Ripper

2. 2 Article: “Accounting for Variation in Distrust of Local Police”
Dependent variable: Distrust in police
This study used logistic regression, which requires a dichotomous (0/1) dependent variable.
Original variable from data source (SCBS) was categorical/ordinal with four levels: “No (trust) at all,” “A little,” “Some” and “A lot.”
Recoded to 0 for “Not at all” and 1 for any of the others

3. 3 Main independent variables
Logistic regression requires continuous or dichotomous (0/1) independent variable
Individual-level
Demographic (gender, race, etc.) Each coded 0/1 (e.g., 0=Male, 1=male)
Member ethnic/civil rights org? (0=no, 1=yes)
Attitude (originally categorical/ordinal - none/a little/some/a lot)
“Trust in neighbors” and “Trust in others of own race” (converted to 0-3 scale)
Political efficacy/interest (none=0; other=1)
Quality of life (converted to 1-4 scale)

4. 4 Policing-level Black police chief (0=no, 1=yes)
Black representation on police dept. (% Black officers minus city’s % Black population)
Size of police dept. (no. of officers/pop.)
Police policy “responsiveness” scale (composite measure - see next slide)
Number of Blacks killed by police divided by city’s homicide totals,
Crime measures (crime index <7820=0, higher=1; viol. crime index <587=0, higher=1)
City-level
Black majority in city (0=no, 1=yes)

5. 5 Validity and reliability concerns Validity:
Police policy “responsiveness” scale is a composite of three yes/no variables: Formal outreach to tenant associations; community policing; civilian review board
But actual street-level performance is left out.
Reliability:
Collapsing response categories (for example, “none”=0 and “a little,” some” and “a lot”=1) could exaggerate actual differences of opinion
“Trust” and “Quality of Life” scales are inherently subjective, so responses may differ for no good reason, creating error