Skip to main content
Log in

Effectiveness of Police Social Media Use

  • Published:
American Journal of Criminal Justice Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Specifically, this study was an examination of the role of social media for and by Arkansas sheriff offices with respect to community relations efforts and the solving of crimes. A review of the literature led to an examination of the relationship between predictor variables frequency and quality of social media communication, while using county population density and county social economic status (SES) as control variables. A hierarchical multiple linear regression model was used to evaluate the data that had been collected via a phone and online survey. All statistical requirements to use this regression model were met. Careful adherence to ethical standards was practiced. The relatively small sample resulting from the small population was cited as a concern. However, responses from 52 of the 75 Arkansas county sheriff offices provided sufficient data for the study. The predictor variable, frequency, accounted for a significant degree of variation in both dependent variables. The predictor variable, quality or variety of social media sources, was not significant, so the null hypothesis was not rejected. However, more social media sources increase the significance of the frequency. Overall, Arkansas sheriff offices surveyed supported the use of social media for both community relations and crime solving. The social media platforms identified as being used by one or more sheriff office or individual sheriff to connect with residents in their community included, a Basic Website, Electronic Newsletters, FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael L. Beshears.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 1 Correlations of independent variables frequency, quality, population density, and SES
Table 2 Frequency of social media use regarding community relations and solving crime
Table 3 Multiple regression results for crime solving regressed on the control variables of population density and SES with the predictor variables of frequency and quality

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Beshears, M.L. Effectiveness of Police Social Media Use. Am J Crim Just 42, 489–501 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-016-9380-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-016-9380-4

Keywords

Navigation