FAIRNESS EVALUATIONS OF ENCOUNTERS WITH POLICE OFFICERS AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS

The fairness of treatment can be inferred from 2 aspects of the relati onship between authority and other party: the person-related aspect an d the role-related aspect. One hundred seventy-five American detainees were interviewed about their encounters with police officers and corr ectional officers. The role-related aspect affected procedural fairnes s judgments most when first-time incarcerated detainees evaluated the encounter with police officers. The person-related aspect affected pro cedural fairness judgments most when first-time detainees and repeated ly incarcerated detainees evaluated encounters with correctional offic ers. Consequences for the group value model of procedural fairness as well as for the legal practice are discussed.