College Students’ Views on Police Procedural Justice

A considerable number of studies have examined citizens’ attitudes toward the police and have found that those who are young, male, and/or racial minorities have more negative perceptions on police and their services. A relatively small number of studies have examined how criminal justice education impacts young citizens’ attitudes toward police. A survey was conducted with 708 responses collected in a public university located in mid-western region measuring undergraduate students’ attitudes toward police. This study compared their attitudes by majors (criminal justice majors vs. non-criminal justice majors) and found that criminal justice majors showed more positive attitudes towards the police procedural justice and a higher level of respect toward police authority than non-criminal justice majors. However, this educational effect was diminished when recent police-contact experience was controlled.