Awareness, attitudes, and behavioral intentions: A hierarchy of effects analysis of federal law enforcement agencies

Federal law enforcement agencies in the United States face increasing reputational pressures amid heightened public scrutiny and growing sociopolitical tensions. Recent nationwide protests following high-profile Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shootings in Minneapolis and Portland have intensified concerns regarding public trust, legitimacy, and the communicative responsibilities of federal agencies. Despite the importance of these dynamics, limited research examines public perceptions of federal law enforcement within a public relations framework. This study addresses this gap by applying the Hierarchy of Effects model, traditionally rooted in advertising but conceptually aligned with public relations outcomes, to evaluate awareness, attitudes, and behavioral intentions toward five major federal agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and United States Marshals Service. Using a national MTurk sample (N = 512), the study assesses unaided and aided recall, evaluative perceptions, and support-related intentions. Results reveal substantial variation across agencies: the FBI maintains the strongest attitudinal profile, ICE demonstrates high awareness but low attitudinal evaluations, and the U.S. Marshals Service suffers from low public recognition. Findings demonstrate the utility of the Hierarchy of Effects model for diagnosing public-sector awareness, attitude, and behavioral intentions and highlight the need for differentiated communication strategies to strengthen awareness, improve attitudes, and lead to action.