Policing social distancing : gaining and maintaining compliance in the age of coronavirus

Grace, SK

Abstract

Drawing on motivational posturing theory (MPT) and procedural justice theory (PJT) this
paper makes recommendations for how best to secure compliance with social distancing
regulations. Applying those theories to – mostly observational – data from a study on the use
and impact of penalty notices for disorder, the influences on cooperation during police-citizen
encounters are explored. Whilst focusing on the English data/regulations, as both MPT and PJT
have been tested internationally, the conclusions have relevance beyond these shores. The
paper proposes a sixth posture – compulsion, a form of resistant compliance – to the five set
out by MPT. Focusing attention not just on whether compliance is achieved but how, recognises
the risk to future legitimacy posed by only achieving compliance through coercion or the threat
thereof. Lessons from the research are applied to policing social distancing, with regards to:
securing compliance during interactions, self-regulation and enforcement action and how to
preserve police legitimacy.

Citation

Grace, S. (2020). Policing social distancing : gaining and maintaining compliance in the age of coronavirus. Policing, 14(4), 1034-1053. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paaa029

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 20, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jul 12, 2020
• Publication Date: Dec 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jun 11, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 12, 2022
• Journal: Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice
• Print ISSN: 1752-4512
• Electronic ISSN: 1752-4520
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 1034-1053
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paaa029
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paaa029
• Related Public URLs: http://policing.oxfordjournals.org/
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This article builds on ideas first developed in this blog: https://bscpolicingnetwork.com/2020/04/02/policing-the-coronavirus-lockdown-the-limits-of-on-the-spot-fines/; Access Information : This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Policing : A journal of policy and practice following peer review. The version of record Sara Grace, Policing Social Distancing: Gaining and Maintaining Compliance in the Age of Coronavirus, Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, Volume 14, Issue 4, December 2020, Pages 1034–1053, is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paaa029