Can a procedurally just flyer change subsequent speeding and traffic offending behaviour: The Queensland Speeding Engagement Trial (QSET)

A/Prof. Lyndel Bates1, Associate Professor Sarah Bennett2, Ms Claire Irvine3, Dr Emma  Antrobus2, Dr John Gilmour1

1Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt, Australia
2School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
3Queensland Police Service, Brisbane, Australia

The Queensland Speeding Engagement Trial (QSET) experimentally tested the impact of a procedurally just policing letter sent to individuals detected speeding by mobile and fixed cameras.  A total of 15,681 drivers received an infringement notice during the trial period. To reduce the likelihood of a Type I error, this study reports results for 5% of the sample (n = 835). Drivers in the control condition (n = 419) received a speeding infringement notice as per normal while those in the experimental condition (n = 416) received a procedurally just letter in addition to the speeding infringement notice. The experimental letter featured a picture of a roadside memorial with statements to demonstrate respect, neutral decision making, trustworthy motives, and public support needed to reduce the death toll on Queensland roads. Follow up administrative data indicated that the experimental intervention reduced subsequent speeding and all traffic offences for young drivers (18-24 years) who were considered high-range offenders when compared with the control condition. Additionally, all young drivers who received the procedurally just letter in addition to their infringement notice were less likely to have a non-speed related traffic offence in the six months after receiving their camera detected speed notice. This suggests that procedural justice can be delivered in a non face-to-face format and affect subsequent offending behaviour for certain populations.


Biography:

Associate Professor Lyndel Bates has research and teaching interests predominantly in road policing, road safety and traffic law enforcement, the intersection of criminology and health and translating research into policy. She is an award winning researcher who has presented her work to both national and international conferences and published her research findings in a number of international peer reviewed journals.

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