Date of Award
Spring 2013
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ)
Department
Criminal Justice
First Advisor
Dr. Tanja Link
Second Advisor
Dr. Jennifer McMahon-Howard
Third Advisor
Dr. Christopher Totten
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine college students’ punitive attitudes toward five different types of sex offenders. In addition, various factors that influence college students’ punitive attitudes will be measured in order to assess their significance. Surveys were administered to a total of 809 students at a large southern university. Through the utilization of descriptive vignettes, the survey measured students’ demographic, educational, attitudinal, and crime-related characteristics as well as recommended sanction and punishment preferences for five different sex offenders. The results suggest that college students’ punitive attitudes significantly differ based on sex offender characteristics. Through ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis, significant effects of various factors on punitive attitudes were found for each type of sex offender.