Exploring the reactions and emotions of Muslim youth in relation to policing: A thematic analysis

Bharucha, Maariya (2017) Exploring the reactions and emotions of Muslim youth in relation to policing: A thematic analysis. Manchester Metropolitan University. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Policing among Muslim communities in the UK is becoming exceptionally prevalent. The ‘prevent’ strategy introduced by the UK government to combat terrorism and radicalisation involved police community support officers and policing teams working together with local communities in order to build trust in police and create safer communities (HMGovernment, 2011). This research explored the reactions and emotions of Muslim youth in relation to policing, through individual 10-item semi-structured interviews. Six Muslim participants (3 male and 3 female), aged 18-25 from a predominantly Muslim community in Manchester were interviewed in order to understand: a) The emotional reaction of young Muslim males and females on community policing. B) The emotion of young Muslim males and females on being stereotyped by the police, and C) The effects of policing leading young Muslim males and females to commit crime. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed 5 themes: community, stereotyping, policing, gender differences on policing and crime. Participants felt anger towards excessive policing, nonetheless they trusted the police and understood that community policing is put in place to ensure a safe community.