Exploring the direct and indirect relationships between policing and citizen satisfaction in South Korea
Policing: An International Journal
ISSN: 1363-951X
Article publication date: 27 July 2023
Issue publication date: 7 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The author explored the direct and indirect relationships between policing and citizen satisfaction, considering both the policing and neighborhood context at the regional level.
Design/methodology/approach
The author conducted regression and path analysis based on the combined data of 190 local governments from the Korean National Police Agency, the Korean Crime Victim Survey and Statistics Korea.
Findings
Patrol officers, a public safety budget, criminal arrests and perceived safety were positively associated with citizen satisfaction, whereas drinking rate was negatively associated with citizen satisfaction. The arrest rate partially mediated the relationship between the public safety budget and citizen satisfaction. In addition, the relationship between drinking rate and citizen satisfaction with police was partially mediated by perceived safety.
Practical implications
Police and local governments should enhance citizen satisfaction by improving poor indicators of policing and neighborhood context and by considering the dynamics between factors.
Originality/value
Studies analyzing the mediating effects on citizen satisfaction with police are still lacking.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper was based on the data from the Korean National Police Agency and Korean Crime Victim Survey in 2014 conducted by the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice.
Citation
Cho, J.T. (2023), "Exploring the direct and indirect relationships between policing and citizen satisfaction in South Korea", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 46 No. 5/6, pp. 739-750. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-12-2022-0148
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited