2024
Tom R. Tyler
Society’s responses to crime through procedural justice.
Tom R. Tyler was recognised for his research on the legitimacy of legal institutions and procedural justice. ‘Procedural justice’ refers to official decisions that are taken with transparency, impartiality, and respect for the individual. His work has shown that people have greater trust in public authorities and are more willing to comply with laws when they perceive that they are treated fairly and respectfully by legal institutions. Tyler’s particular focus has been on how police interactions with the public influence perceptions of justice and legitimacy.Tom R. Tyler
Born 1950 in the US. Tom R. Tyler was professor at Yale University (United States) at the time of the award.
Showed that perceptions of the legal system’s legitimacy affect people’s compliance with the law.Showed that perceptions of the legal system’s legitimacy affect people’s compliance with the law.
Legitimacy as a force in crime prevention
Tom R. Tyler was awarded the 2024 Stockholm Prize in Criminology for his research on the legitimacy of legal institutions and how perceptions of justice influence people’s willingness to comply with the law.
Tyler has through his research, including randomised field experiments, greatly expanded our knowledge of the relationship between people’s propensity to break the law and their experience of the legitimacy of the social bodies, not least the legitimacy of the judiciary.
Research on justice
Tyler’s research explores the fundamental questions about why individuals obey or disobey the law and how legal compliance can be increased.
He is the author or primary author of several books, including Why People Cooperate (2011), Legitimacy and Criminal Justice (2007), Why People Obey the Law (2006), Trust in the Law (2002) and Cooperation in Groups (2000).
Social institution legitimacy is important
In his research, Tyler has focused on the nature of interactions between individuals and social institutions, particularly the police. His theory challenged the primacy of deterrence by threats of punishment, offering an alternative based on legitimacy.
Based on extensive surveys in cities including Chicago and New York, he developed a model for procedural justice, which is based on the following four pillars: 1) Voice – that the individual has the opportunity to be heard and present their point of view, 2) Neutrality – that decisions are based on objective and consistent principles, 3) Respect – that the individual is treated with dignity and courtesy, and 4) Trustworthiness – that decision-makers show that they care about the well-being of the individual.
His research has had a major impact on modern police practices, in which the relationship between citizens and the police is viewed as central to maintaining law and order in a democratic society.