Officers Trained in Procedural Justice are More Respectful, Transparent and Trusted by the Communities They Serve
BALTIMORE, MD, May 19, 2025 – Can a few days of training transform how police interact with communities? A new study in the INFORMS journal Management Science says yes – and the results could reshape law enforcement training around the globe.
Researchers from Boston University and The World Bank conducted one of the largest-ever randomized controlled trials on police behavior, training nearly 1,000 officers in Mexico City on principles of procedural justice – the idea that how people are treated matters as much as the outcome of their interactions with law enforcement.
The results? Big improvements in how officers engaged with the public.
- Trained officers showed greater respect, clearer communication and reduced escalation.
- Negative behaviors – including dismissiveness or bias – significantly dropped.
- These changes endured for months after training.
“At a time when public trust in police is under intense scrutiny worldwide, this research offers hard evidence that targeted training can make a measurable difference,” says Rodrigo Canales, lead researcher and professor at Boston University.
Training Translates to the Streets
The study, “Shaping Police Officer Mindsets and Behaviors: Experimental Evidence of Procedural Justice Training,” tested a simple but powerful question: Can we train officers to be fairer and more just in their interactions?
The answer? Yes – and it shows up in real-world policing.
The research team, consisting of Canales, alongside Juan Francisco Santini of The World Bank and Marina González Magaña and Alexis Cherem (the three of whom were part of Innovations for Poverty Action at the time of the study), used mystery shoppers – trained actors posing as citizens who needed police assistance – to assess how officers handled routine interactions. Those who received procedural justice training were noticeably more patient, neutral and transparent.
Four key principles drove these changes:
- Voice – Officers listened before making decisions.
- Neutrality – They treated people fairly, avoiding bias.
- Respect – Every citizen was treated with dignity.
- Trustworthiness – Officers explained their actions, building credibility.
“We found clear and consistent improvements in how officers approached their work,” says Canales, a professor in the Questrom School of Business at Boston University. “This isn’t just about policy – it’s about human interactions. When officers treat people fairly, trust increases and police work becomes more effective.”
Why This Matters for Law Enforcement
In an era in which police accountability and public trust are under the microscope, this study offers rare, hard evidence: well-designed, short-term training can create lasting behavioral change. Unlike many programs that fail to move the needle, procedural justice training showed sustained, measurable impact.
Even in higher-crime areas – where improvements were smaller – officers still benefited, pointing to the importance of leadership support and ongoing reinforcement.
Could This Be a Model for U.S. Policing?
With police departments across the U.S. and around the world looking for ways to improve public trust and community relationships, this study suggests that integrating procedural justice training into standard law enforcement education could be a high-impact, low-cost strategy.
“This research proves that we can train officers to be more just and effective,” says Canales. “When police approach every interaction with fairness, they’re not just following best practices, they’re making communities safer.”
About INFORMS and Management Science
INFORMS is the world’s largest association for professionals and students in operations research, AI, analytics, data science and related disciplines, serving as a global authority in advancing cutting-edge practices and fostering an interdisciplinary community of innovation. Management Science, a leading journal published by INFORMS, publishes quantitative research on management practices across organizations. INFORMS empowers its community to improve organizational performance and drive data-driven decision-making through its journals, conferences and resources. Learn more at www.informs.org or @informs.
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