Exploring Student Attitudes Toward Policing, Punishment, and Career Pathways

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

Objective: This panel explores how students' attitudes toward policing and punishment are shaped by individual traits, political beliefs, and educational experiences, with a particular focus on motivations for major selection and perceptions of various criminal justice career fields among CJ majors.

Data/Methods: The studies draw on original survey data collected from undergraduate and graduate students (N ≈ 1,200 expected) at a mid-sized university in the northeastern United States. The survey includes validated scales measuring self-control, perceived stress, Big Five personality traits, punitiveness, attitudes toward police, political ideology, and career motivations. Comparative analyses were conducted across major fields of study using descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and regression models.

Results: Preliminary findings indicate distinct differences in personality traits, punitive attitudes, and perceived stress levels among students in criminal justice versus non-CJ majors. Political ideology was also associated with preferences for specific CJ career paths (e.g., law enforcement vs. victim services) and views on police legitimacy and punishment.

Conclusions/Implications: These studies collectively highlight the role of individual and ideological factors in shaping students' perceptions of justice and their future roles within the system. Findings have implications for recruitment, advising, and the development of more responsive and inclusive criminal justice curricula.

Sub Unit

• Area VIII. Perceptions of Crime & Justice / 65. Attitudes about the Criminal Justice System and Punishment

Individual Presentations

• Academic Pathways: Understanding Student Motivations for Choosing Criminal Justice and Other Majors - Agnetha Gillbanks, University of New Haven

• Self-Control, Punitiveness, and Career Aspirations: Understanding Criminal Justice Major Selection - Mariah Robles, University of New Haven

• Shaping the Future of Justice: Do the Perceptions of Policing Change Through Higher Education? - Ashley McDowell, University of New Haven

• Personality, Politics, and Purpose: What Drives Satisfaction and Career Interest Across Majors? - Maria Tcherni-Buzzeo, University of New Haven

Chair

• Maria Tcherni-Buzzeo, University of New Haven

Discussant

• David Myers, University of New Haven