Police attitudes towards immigrants and immigration: generational differences between officers and cadets in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This article examines Taiwanese police officers’ and cadets’ attitudes towards immigrants in Taiwan. We examine how attitudes vary based on individual characteristics, and we focus on observed generational differences. The study aim is to better understand attitudinal differences between officers and cadets, towards the increasingly salient issue of immigration in Taiwan, while also accounting for other predictor variables. Utilising survey data collected from 538 officers and cadets in Taiwan we examine attitudes towards immigrants and crime, encouragement of immigration, police treatment of immigrants, and interactions with and perceptions of immigrants. This study finds support for the notion that there are notable attitudinal differences between older, experienced officers and younger, non-experienced cadets. Cadets were more likely to have positive and open attitudes compared to officer counterparts. Implications for police training and education in Taiwan are discussed.