Queensland (Australia) Community Engagement Trial (QCET)
Axios
Effectiveness

Promising

.

.

.

.

.

Promising

Want to know more about this classification? Check out our methodological manual.

Life periods served
Where the program was applied
Country of application
Description

This is a program designed to enhance police legitimacy during encounters with citizens through approaches based on the principles of fair procedure.
Traffic officers conducted roadblocks near bars, restaurants or similar locations, and at highway entrances or exits, approaching drivers randomly and conducting breathalyzer tests for alcohol consumption.
Those roadblocks were conducted at predetermined times and locations to create a funnel effect so that drivers could not avoid them. During the approach, police officers used a specialized script, which included key elements of fair procedure, a brief explanation of the reason for the roadblock, and instructions on how to perform the breathalyzer test.
The objective was to see if the use of a specialized script could increase the driver’s trust in the police, and thus change their opinion regarding drinking and driving.

Impact evaluations

An impact evaluation found that the program produced a positive change in citizens’ perceptions of drunk driving and policing, and noted increased satisfaction, compliance, and confidence in judicial proceedings. However, the authors identified a bias in the experiment, as drivers did not report their perception of these issues prior to receiving the approach [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Mazerolle, L., Bennett, S., Antrobus, E. & Eggins, E. (2012). Procedural justice, routine encounters and citizen perceptions of police: Main findings from the Queensland Community Engagement Trial (QCET). Journal of Experimental Criminology, 8(4), 343–367. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-012-9160-1

Information source