Managing Insecurities and Expectations : Social Trust and Judiciary in Transition
Managing Insecurities and Expectations : Social Trust and Judiciary in Transition

Summary/Abstract: It has been noted that social trust in the legal system and legal authorities (e.g. the judiciary) has been steadily declining in the last decade in many European countries. As regards criminal courts and prisons, Nicholas has similarly observed that these ‘low-visibility areas’ of the criminal justice system ‘receive the lowest confidence and satisfaction ratings’.In Slovenia, a public opinion survey conducted in July 2008 revealed that only 33% of respondents trusted the courts, while 58% explicitly said they distrusted them. How did this happen? Is the situation regarding social trust in post-communist, ‘transitional’ countries better or worse than in other parts of Europe? What did the Communist past and the ‘transition’ contribute to this phenomenon? What is meant by ‘social trust’? How is social trust structured? What can be done to improve it? These and other similar questions will be addressed in our study, with particular emphasis on Slovenia and the contents (and evolution) of social trust regarding the judicial system. In the first part of my research, I will elaborate on theoretical concepts, the historical origins and social dimensions of the existing (low) social trust and stress various factors that influence social trust in the judicial system in postcommunist Slovenia. In the second part, results of the content analysis of social representations of judiciary (as reflected in the virtual media) will be presented and discussed, as well their implications for future research and policy making.

• Details
• Contents