Shaping the Future of Justice: Do the Perceptions of Policing Change Through Higher Education?

• In Event: Exploring Student Attitudes Toward Policing, Punishment, and Career Pathways

Abstract

Careers in policing involve unique stressors, personal beliefs about punishment, and the ability to maintain control in high-pressure situations. This study examines how self-control, personality traits, perceived stress, and punitiveness influence students’ perceptions of policing as a profession and their interest in pursuing a law enforcement career. Based on a survey of students at a mid-sized university in the northeastern United States, the study also explores whether students’ views on policing evolve throughout their criminal justice education. The findings offer insights into the characteristics of students in criminal justice programs and inform recruitment strategies for both universities and police departments.

Author

• Ashley McDowell, University of New Haven