When Cohort Differences Are Racialized: Examining Perceptions of Law Enforcement Performance Among Black and White Youth, 2000–2019

Objectives: The study examines how race-specific perceptions of law enforcement performance change across cohorts of Black and White youth in the past 20 years. Specifically, we explore how the race-specific cohort changes are related to changes in individual-level characteristics and perceived neighborhood racial composition. Methods: We analyze perceptions of law enforcement performance among 26,029 Black and White youth surveyed between 2000 and 2019 through Monitoring the Future 12th-grade surveys. OLS regression analyses, supplemented by mediation and moderation tests, are conducted to examine our research questions. Results: We find that cohort patterns unfolded differently for Black and White youth. Black youth in Cohort 2015–2019 report substantially lower scores on law enforcement performance than earlier cohorts, regardless of individual experiences and neighborhood contexts. In contrast, White youth in Cohort 2015–2019 display an increasing polarization: those in predominantly White neighborhoods report increased positive perceptions of law enforcement, while those in non-White neighborhoods report declining evaluations. Conclusions: Race-specific perceptions of law enforcement are linked to dynamic multi-level processes, including individual experiences, neighborhood context, and macro-level social changes. Our findings suggest that the recent generation of Black and White youth face unique racialized challenges that should be addressed with updated policy initiatives and targeted community support.