‘Common Law’: Why Fair Procedures Matter in Policing

Whether people accept laws and legal authority as legitimate depends on having fair processes in the justice system and policing, Yale Law School professor Tom R. Tyler says on the latest “Common Law,” a podcast of the University of Virginia School of Law.

Tyler, the Macklin Fleming Professor of Law and Professor of Psychology, is a founding director of The Justice Collaboratory at Yale, a social science research center aimed at working toward a “theory-driven, evidence-informed justice system.” An expert in procedural justice, Tyler is the author of the books “Why People Cooperate,” “Legitimacy and Criminal Justice” and “Why People Obey the Law,” among others. On the episode, he discusses some of his recent work, including a study showing that procedural justice training reduced police use of force against officers in Chicago.

In the episode, hosted by Dean Risa Goluboff and Gregory Mitchell, the scholars examine how the theory of procedural justice has expanded since the seminal book “Procedural Justice: A Psychological Analysis” by John Thibaut and UVA Law professor emeritus W. Laurens Walker was published in 1975. They also explore community policing, how processes within the police department affect officers’ behavior, the importance of de-escalation strategies and broadening the pool of candidates for police roles.

Tyler, like Mitchell, holds a Ph.D. in psychology, and served on Mitchell’s dissertation committee at the University of California, Berkeley.

This season, called “Co-Counsel” features a rotating set of co-hosts: Mitchell, Danielle K. Citron, John C. Harrison and Cathy Hwang. Each is joining Goluboff to discuss cutting-edge research on law topics of their choice.

“Common Law” is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, YouTube, Spotify and other popular places you can listen to podcasts. The show is produced by Emily Richardson-Lorente.

Past seasons have focused on “The Future of Law,” “When Law Changed the World” and “Law and Equity.”

You can follow the show on the website CommonLawPodcast.com or Twitter at @CommonLawUVA.