Latinas’ Perceptions of Law Enforcement: Fear of Deportation, Crime Reporting, and Trust in the System

This study examines the impact of fear of deportation and trust in the procedural fairness of the justice system on willingness to report violent crime victimization among Latinas in the United States. It found that fear of deportation was a significant predictor of Latinas’ perceptions of the procedural fairness of the criminal justice system. However, trust in the police is more important than fear of deportation in Latinas’ willingness to report violent crime victimization. Social workers can provide rights-based education and encourage relationship building between police and Latino communities.