Rok Hacin

Short Resume

Rok Hacin, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Criminology at the Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security, University of Maribor. His research focuses on the legitimacy of criminal justice, police and policing, crime mapping, penal policy, and crime and penal statistics. He has published numerous scientific articles in national and international scientific journals such as the European Journal of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Behavior, Policing and Revija za kriminalistiko in kriminologijo, as well as a scientific monograph and chapters in national and international monographs published by renowned publishers, such as Routledge, Springer. He was a lead researcher in a project entitled “Research in the field of professional competencies of prison workers and relations in prisons” (2021-2022).

Title of the presentation

An Overview of Research on Legitimacy and Self-legitimacy in Slovenian Police and Prisons

Abstract

Research on legitimacy in Slovenian criminal justice began in 2005. The initial theoretical work was swiftly followed by empirical testing in 2009, focusing on the applicability of Western models to study legitimacy within Slovenia’s former socialist cultural context. Over the past 20 years, empirical research expanded significantly, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative studies. These studies primarily relied on representative samples of Slovenian residents, police officers, prisoners, and prison staff. Researchers conducted comprehensive mixed-methods, comparative, and longitudinal studies. They explored various aspects of legitimacy, including its dual nature, stability (or lack thereof), self-legitimacy, antecedents, and differences in perception among different actors in the criminal justice system. Additionally, new models were developed to better fit the Slovenian cultural environment. Notably, these studies revealed important correlations between perceived legitimacy and self-legitimacy, as well as their impact on individual behaviour (such as willingness to use force, pro-organizational behaviour, and support for community policing). Overall, Slovenian research on legitimacy has significantly enriched our understanding of this concept, especially by testing theoretical assumptions in a non-Western cultural context.

Keywords

legitimacy, self-legitimacy, police, prisons, Slovenia