The concept of “Procedural Justice“, sometimes referred to as “fair procedure”, seeks to highlight the importance of the quality of the treatment provided by public servants in general, and in particular by those who have the authority to use force.
For the police to be effective in controlling crime and maintaining order, the voluntary cooperation of the general public is necessary. Research has shown that citizens are more likely to cooperate with the police and obey the law when they perceive the police as legitimate.
Thus, the concept of fair procedure emphasizes the importance of the relationships developed between citizens and authorities to improve the perception of the legitimacy of institutions and is put into practice in the way the police treats citizens and in the greater fairness observed in the decisions made, seeking to impact the way citizens perceive the treatment of the police during decision-making processes.
More specifically, fair procedure is based on four main components:
1) Citizen participation in processes and procedures prior to decision-making by the authority involved (citizen voice);
2) Perception of the authority’s neutrality when making decisions;
3) Showing dignity and respect toward citizens throughout the interaction;
4) Communicating the reasons for decisions and conveying confidence in the ability of public institutions to solve problems.