Carr and Maxwell's research goal was to explore how trust affects which group?

• A. Officers
• B. Citizens
• C. Victims
• D. Prosecutors

Answer: (A)

Trust plays a pivotal role in shaping how those who enforce laws act and decide. Carr and Maxwell aimed to understand how trust influences the behavior, judgments, and decision-making of the people on the front lines of policing—the officers. When trust is present—whether it’s trust in the fairness of procedures, in colleagues, or in the department—officers may act more cooperatively with others, exercise discretion differently, and adhere more closely to policy. The question targets the group whose actions are directly affected by trust in the enforcement process, which is the officers themselves. While trust certainly affects victims, citizens, and prosecutors in various ways, the research focus was specifically on how trust impacts officers.