The dual impact of procedural injustice: Police procedural injustice harms the mental health of crime victims and induces feelings of exclusion

While procedural justice research has established that uncaring, insensitive or intimidating police treatment is linked to negative mental health outcomes for crime victims, the psychological consequences of exclusion remain underexplored. Using data from an online survey of crime victims who interacted with the police (n = 504), this study tested four hypotheses: the direct harmful effect of procedural injustice on mental health (H1), the negative impact of police-induced exclusion on mental health (H2), the link between procedural injustice and police-induced exclusion (H3) and whether procedurally unjust police behaviour worsens feelings of exclusion, further undermining mental health (H4). Findings challenge the initial hypothesis that police procedural injustice harms crime victims’ mental health by inducing exclusion. Instead, they suggest a dual impact: procedural injustice both harms mental health and fosters exclusion, but these effects appear to operate independently rather than being directly linked. These results remained consistent even after accounting for crime type and severity, and demographic and socio-economic factors. Qualitative survey responses and four follow-up interviews provide valuable lived experiences and context that enrich the survey findings. They suggest that procedural injustice may harm mental health by stripping victims of the core conditions necessary for psychological recovery – safety, validation, justice and agency – while also undermining their trust in the police. The study underscores the need for emotionally intelligent and procedurally fair policing to support victims’ psychological well-being.