Examining Punitiveness: Assessing Views Toward the Punishment of Offenders Among Criminology and Non-Criminology Students

Abstract

This study investigates the predictors of punitiveness among 519 undergraduate college students at one public university in the Northeast. Specifically, it compared levels of punitiveness among students majoring in criminology with students majoring in other academic disciplines. Due to the fact that criminology students may work as professionals within the criminal justice system after graduation, it is particularly important to assess their views toward the punishment of lawbreakers. The results from the current study indicate that criminology students held less punitive views toward offenders than did students majoring in other academic disciplines. In addition, the findings indicate that year in school is an important predictor of punitiveness, with seniors holding the least punitive views and freshman holding the most punitive views. Furthermore, political ideology and three causal attribution theories (classical, structural positivism, labeling) were found to significantly impact punitiveness.

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