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Institute of Criminology

 
Legitimacy and Criminal Justice
Policing
Corruption
Violence
Vigilantism
Criminological and Social Theory
Comparative Criminology

Biography

Justice Tankebe is Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Cambridge. He received his PhD in Criminology from the University of Cambridge. Prior to coming to Cambridge, he studied for a BA in Sociology at the University of Ghana, Legon. He was awarded postdoctoral research fellowships by the Economic and Social Research Council, the British Academy, and Fitzwilliam College. 

Justice's research interests are in police and state legitimacy, corruption, police violence, and vigilantism. His current research projects include legitimacy and counter-terrorism policing in the UK, police violence in Ghana, and corruption among prospective elites in Ghana. Students with ideas for doctoral work in any of these areas of interest should contact Justice with a synopsis of their research proposal.

Publications

Key publications: 

Selected Publications

Articles in Peer-reviewed JournalS

  • Schwarzenbach, A., Tankebe, J., & Oberwittler, D. (2023). In Their Own Hands: Young People and Self-Justice Retaliation in Germany. Crime & Delinquency 69(1): 121 - 151 https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128720948032
  • Akoensi, TD & Tankebe, J. (2020) Prison Officer Self-Legitimacy and Support for Rehabilitation. Criminal Justice and Behavior 47 (1): 22 - 38  https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854819879729
  • Ariel, B., Langley, B., Tankebe, J., Sutherland, A., Beale, M., Factor, R., and Weinborn, C. (2021) A Simple Checklist, That is all it Takes: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Field Trial on Improving the Treatment of Suspected Terrorists by the Police. Journal of Experimental Criminology 17(1): 628 - 655 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-020-09428-9
  • Tankebe, J. (2019) Cooperation with The Police Against Corruption: Exploring The Roles of Legitimacy, Deterrence and Collective Action Theories. British Journal of Criminology 59(6): 1390 - 1410, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azz030
  • Tankebe, J., Boakye, E. K., & Amagnya, M. (2019) Traffic Violations and Cooperative Intentions among Drivers: The Role of Corruption and Fairness https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2019.1636795
  • Ariel, B., Mitchell, R. J., Tankebe, J., Firpo, M. E., Fraiman, R., & Hyatt, J. M. (2019) Using Wearable Technology to Increase Police Legitimacy in Uruguay: The Case of Body-Worn Cameras. Law & Social Inquiry, 1-29 https://doi.org/10.1017/lsi.2019.13
  • Surtees, K., Tankebe, J., & Bland, M. (2019) Tracking Kidnappings in London: Offenders, Victims and Motives. Cambridge Journal of Evidence-Based Policing, 3: 97 -108 https://doi.org/10.1007/s41887-019-00036-w
  • Tankebe, J. (2019) In Their Own Eyes: An Empirical Examination of Police Self-Legitimacy. Int. Journal of Comparative & Applied Criminal Justice 43(2): 99 – 116. https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2018.1487870
  • Tankebe, J., Karstedt, S., & Adu-Poku, S. (2019) Corruption Intentions Among Prospective Elites in Ghana: An Economy of Esteem. International Criminal Justice Review, 29(2): 168-186. https://doi.org/10.1177/1057567718799827
  • Ariel, B., & Tankebe, J. (2018). Racial stratification and multiple outcomes in police stops and searches. Policing and Society28(5), 507-525.https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2016.1184270
  • Nawaz, A., & Tankebe, J. (2018). Tracking procedural justice in stop and search encounters: Coding evidence from body-worn video cameras. Cambridge journal of evidence-based policing2(3-4), 139-163.
  • Sowatey, E. A & Tankebe, J. (2018) Doing Research with Police Elites in Ghana. Criminology & Criminal Justice https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895818787022
  • Wain, N., Ariel, B., & Tankebe, J. (2017) The Collateral Consequences of GPS-led Supervision in Hotspots policing. Police Practice and Research: An International Journal 18(4): 376-390. https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2016.1277146
  • Tankebe, J. & Asif, M. (2016) Legitimacy and Public Support for Vigilante Violence in Pakistan. International Journal of Comparative Criminology and Applied Criminal Justice 40(4): 343-362. https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2016.1217425
  • Tankebe, J., Reisig, M., and Wang, X. A. (2016) Multidimensional Model of Police Legitimacy: A Cross-cultural Assessment. Law & Human Behavior 40(1): 11-22 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000153
  • Tankebe, J., Hills, A. & Cole, B. (2014) Emerging Issues of Crime and Justice in Africa: An Introduction. Special Issue of Criminology & Criminal Justice 14(1): 3-7
  • Tankebe, J. (2014) The Making of Democracy's Champions: Police Support for Democracy in Ghana.Special Issue of Criminology & Criminal Justice 14(125-43. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895812469380
  • Reisig, M. D., Tankebe, J. and Meško, G. (2014) Compliance with the Law in Slovenia: The Role of Procedural Justice and Police Legitimacy. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research 20 (2): 259-276.
  • Tankebe, J. (2013) In Search of Moral Recognition? Policing and Eudaemonic Legitimation in Ghana. Special Issue of Law & Social Inquiry 38(3): 576-597
  • Tankebe, J. (2013) Viewing Things Differently: Examining the Dimensions of Public Perceptions of Police Legitimacy. Criminology 51(1): 103-135. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.2012.00291.x
  • Bottoms, A. E. and Tankebe, J. (2012) Beyond Procedural Justice: A Dialogic Approach to Legitimacy in Criminal Justice. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology 102: 119-170
  • Reisig, M. D., Tankebe, J. and Meško, G. (2012) Procedural Justice, Police Legitimacy, and Public Cooperation with the Police among Young Slovene Adults. Journal of Criminology and Security 14(2): 147-164
  • Tankebe, J. (2011) Explaining Police Support for Use of Force and Vigilante Violence in Ghana. Policing & Society 21(2): 129-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2010.540663
  • Tankebe, J. (2010) Public Confidence in the Police: Testing the Effects of Experience of Police Corruption in Ghana. British Journal of Criminology 50 (2): 296-319. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azq001
  • Tankebe, J. (2009) Public Cooperation with the Police in Ghana: Does Procedural Fairness Matter? Criminology: An International Journal 47(4): 1265-1293. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.2009.00175.x
  • Tankebe, J. (2009) Self-Help, Policing and Procedural Justice: Vigilantism and the Rule of Law in Ghana. Law and Society Review 43(2): 245-269. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5893.2009.00372.x
  • Tankebe, J. (2009). Policing, procedural fairness and public behaviour: A review and critique.International Journal of Police Science & Management, 11(1): 8-19.
  • Tankebe, J. (2008) Colonialism, legitimation, and policing in Ghana. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 36(1): 67-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2007.12.003

 

Books

  • Meško, G. & Tankebe, J. (2015, eds.)Trust and Legitimacy in Criminal Justice: European Perspectives in Europe. New York: Springer
  • Tankebe, J. and Liebling A. (2013) (eds.) Legitimacy and Criminal Justice: An International Exploration. Oxford: Oxford University Press

 

Book Chapters

  • Bottoms, A.E and Tankebe, J (forthcoming) Procedural Justice, Legitimacy and Social Contexts. In D., MeyersonC., Mackenzie and T., MacDermott, (eds.) Procedural justice and relational theory: philosophical, empirical and legal perspectives. Routledge, Oxford, UK.
  • Tankebe, J (2020) Unintended Negative Outcomes of Counter-Terrorism Policing. In Weisburd, D., Hasisi, B., & Calderoni, F (eds.) Understanding Recruitment to Organised Crime and Terrorism. Springer
  • Tankebe, J. (2019) Legitimacy and Regulatory Compliance. In M.  Krambia-Kapardis  (Ed.),  Financial  Compliance:  Issues, Concerns and Future Directions (pp. 47–66). Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan
  • Bottoms, A. E. and Tankebe, J (2017) Police Legitimacy and the Authority of the State. In A. du Bois-Pedain, M. Ulväng and P. Asp (eds.) Criminal Law and the Authority of the State. Oxford: Hart Publishing
  • Tankebe, J. & Meško, G. (2015) Police Self-Legitimacy, Use of Force, and Pro-Organisational Behaviour in Slovenia. In Meško, G. & Tankebe, J. (eds.) Trust and Legitimacy in Criminal Justice: European Perspectives. New York: Springer
  • Tankebe, J. (2014) Police Legitimacy. In M. D. Reisig & J. Kane (eds.) Oxford Handbook of Police and Policing. New York: Oxford University Press
  • Bottoms, A. E and Tankebe, J. (2013) 'Voice Within': Power-holders'Perspectives on Authority and Legitimacy. In J. Tankebe and A. Liebling (eds.) Legitimacy and Criminal Justice: An International Exploration. Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Tankebe, J. and Liebling, A. (2013) Legitimacy and Criminal Justice: An Introduction. In J. Tankebe and A. Liebling (eds.) Legitimacy and Criminal Justice: An International Exploration. Oxford: Oxford University Press
  • Tankebe, J. (2010) Legitimation and Resistance: Police Reform in the (un)making. In L. K. Cheliotis (ed.) Roots, Rites and Sites of Resistance: The Banality of Good. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (pp.197 - 245)

 

Conference Presentations and Invited Talks

  • Tankebe, J. (2019) Unintended Negative Outcomes of Counter-Terrorism Policing. Paper presented at the European Society of Criminology, Ghent - Belgium (Sept. 18-21)
  • Akoensi, TD & Tankebe, J (2019) Prison Officer Self-Legitimacy and Support for Rehabilitation in Ghana. Paper presented at the European Society of Criminology, Ghent - Belgium (Sept. 18-21)
  • Tankebe, J. (2018) An Exploration of the Role of Legitimacy in Compliance. Invited paper presented at an International Conference on Compliance. Limassol – Cyprus (June 8)
  • Tankebe, J. (2017) Legitimacy and Cooperative Intentions in Corruption Prevention. Paper presented at the American Society of Criminology conference. Chicago - U. S. (Nov. 15–18)
  • Tankebe, J. and Mesko, G. (2017) Police Self-legitimacy and Moral Commitments. Paper presented at the American Society of Criminology conference. Chicago - U. S. (Nov. 15–18)
  • Tankebe, J. (2017) In their Own Eyes: An Examination of Police Self-Legitimacy. Invited Paper presented at Dae Chang Visiting Scholar Colloquium. School of Criminal Justice. Michigan State University (October 5)
  • Tankebe, J. and Karstedt, S. (2017) Corruption Intentions among Future Elites in Ghana: The Power of Social Norms. Paper presented at Annual Meetings of the European Society of Criminology, Cardiff – Wales (September 13 – 16)
  • Tankebe, J. (2017) Targeting and Building Legitimacy in Probation. Invited paper presented at a Workshop for Probation Officers, Ministry of Justice, London – UK (May 15)
  • Tankebe, J. (2015) The Nature of Police Audience Legitimacy. Paper presented at the International Conference on Police-Citizen Relations. University of Grenoble. Paris – France (April 19-21)
  • Tankebe, J. (2015) Rethinking Police Legitimacy. Invited paper presented at the All Souls Criminology Series, University of Oxford. Oxford – UK (March 12)
  • Tankebe, J. (2014) Legitimacy and Correctional Reforms. Distinguished Scholar Lecture to the 16th International Corrections and Prisons Association held at Windhoek, Namibia(October 26-31)
Associate Professor

Contact Details

+44 (0)1223 767366

Affiliations

Colleges: 
St Edmund's College