Framing fairness: Understanding perceptions of police procedural justice in body-worn camera footage

Body-worn camera (BWC) footage often circulates on social media following police misconduct events. Although intended to provide objective evidence, BWC footage results in different perceptions about whether the police behaved justly. This study examined why people interpret the same video-recorded event differently by assessing differences by participant race and political ideology.

We hypothesized that there would be more variability in procedural justice judgments about an unjust BWC video compared to a just BWC video. Based on the group engagement model, we expected Black and liberal participants to perceive both BWC videos as more procedurally unjust than White and conservative participants, with effects operating through baseline procedural justice perceptions, identification with the officer, and identification with the driver.

Adult White and Black participants from Prolific were randomly assigned to watch either a procedurally just or unjust BWC traffic stop video. They self-reported their perceptions of procedural justice.

As expected, there was more variability in procedural justice perceptions of the unjust BWC video than the just video. Liberal-leaning participants believed the BWC video was less procedurally just than conservative-leaning participants. Contrary to our hypothesis, Black participants had more positive procedural justice perceptions of the BWC videos than did White participants. A serial mediation analysis revealed that these demographic differences typically operated through baseline procedural justice perceptions and identification with the officer and driver.

Perceptions of BWC videos are subjective, and this study suggests there may be more variability in perceptions of unjust than just police behavior. To improve relationships with the community they serve, police should focus on behaving in ways that the public is more likely to perceive as consistently procedurally just. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).