Exploring Memorable Message About Law Enforcement

Research demonstrates that Black Americans are placed at a higher risk for having negative interactions with law enforcement. As a result, Black American families may engage in racial ethnic socialization (RES) practices aimed at preparing Black youth for racialized experiences, reducing the psychological effects of racism, and perserving the lives of Black American citizens. Guided by the memorable messages framework, the present study examines memorable messages about law enforcement as recalled by Black American young adults. More specifically, this study examines the specific type(s) of memorable messages Black American young adults recall receiving about law enforcement from sources such as family and media. To begin, I define and review the literature on the prevalence of racial-ethnic socialization (RES) practices within Black American families before outlining the current study. Followingly, I outline the methodology used to retrieve data before discussing the results of this study. Next, I discuss the theoretical implications associated with the findings of the current study before describing the limitations of this study. Finally, I conclude this study by identifying potential avenues for future research on this topic.