NCJ Number
186682
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Education Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: Fall 2000 Pages: 225-236
Date Published
2000
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This research was designed as a pilot study to explore the differences in perceptions of criminal justice between criminal justice majors and non-majors.
Abstract
The study was conducted at a midwestern university with a criminal justice department having over 450 majors, the largest number of majors in the university's college of liberal arts. Of the 200 students surveyed, 99 were criminal justice majors, and 101 were non-majors. The survey solicited responses on beliefs about crime, criminal justice and criminals, correctional ideologies, perceptions of punishment effectiveness, and sources of crime information. Findings show that criminal justice majors expressed less support for harsh punishment and less opposition toward criminal rights. Criminal justice majors also supported treating juveniles differently from adults for the same crime; they also supported equal punishment for all races. The educational level of the criminal justice major was not a significant factor in the survey responses. Based on these survey results, it is clear that criminal justice education does influence the views of those who will staff the criminal justice system. Future criminal justice professionals must be instructed with accurate information in all areas of importance, so they may help develop future policy that does not reflect the myths of the media and the general public. Furthermore, issues of social categories such as race and gender must be included in all courses. Appended list of questionnaire topics, 6 tables, and 39 references