Criminal Justice Students’ Perceptions and Awareness of Racism and Discrimination

• Published date: 01 April 2022
• Date: 01 April 2022
• Author: Robin D. Jackson,Howard Henderson
• DOI: 10.1177/2153368719873024
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Criminal Justice Students’

Perceptions and Awareness of

Racism and Discrimination

Robin D. Jackson

1

and Howard Henderson

2

Abstract

The recent focus on the controversial deaths of minorities at the hands of police

officers has led to increased attention on racial bias among the law enforcement

community. However, this focus does not extend to criminal justice students. Instead,

research examining undergraduates’ racial attitudes focuses on the general student

body. In addition to reviewing literature related to criminal justice students’ attitudes

toward a variety of criminal justice and social issues, the current study used multiple

regression analyses to examine racial and gender differences in a Southwestern Uni-

versity’s criminal justice students’perceptions of and sensitivityto racism. Findings from

the study indicate that male criminal justice students in the sample and White criminal

justice students are more likely to have lower perceptions of racism than their female

and non-White counterparts, respectively. Additionally, findings for criminal justice

students’ sensitivity to racism suggest that White male criminal justice students’ sen-

sitivity to racism only statistically significantly differs from non-White females with

White males more likelyto be less sensitive than non-White females. Furthermore, the

current researchprovides a benchmarkfor research related to criminaljustice students’

perceptions of racism and discriminatory practices and their attitudes toward mino-

rities. Results, study implications, recommendations, and future research are discussed.

Keywords

perceived racism, discrimination, implicit bias, criminal justice students, minorities,

racial attitudes, sensitivity to racism

1

Department of Justice Studies, College of Juvenile Justice and Administration, Prairie View A&M

University, Prairie View, TX, USA

2

Department of Administration of Justice, Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Texas

Southern University, Houston, TX, USA

Corresponding Author:

Robin D. Jackson, Department of Justice Studies, College of Juvenile Justice and Administration, Prairie View

A&M University, PO Box 519, Mail Stop 2600, Prairie View, TX 77446, USA.

Email: rdjackson@pvamu.edu

Race and Justice

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DOI: 10.1177/2153368719873024

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2022, Vol. 12(2) 252–\ 275

The deaths of Oscar Grant, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and Philando

Castile at the hands of police officers have led to increased criticism as well as a

“crisis of legitimacy” for law enforcement and the criminal justice system (James,

2017; James, Fridell, & Straub, 2016; Jones, 2015; Nix, Campbell, & Byers, 2017;

Paoline, Gau, & Terrill, 2016; Todak, 2017). Consequently, there has been an

increased focus on diversity and implicit bias among members of the law enforcement

community (Coon, 2016; Fridell, 2017; James, 2017; James et al., 2016; Nix et al.,

2017). While much of the focus is on bias among active police officers, little attention

has been paid to criminal justice students, many of whom indicate a preference for a

career in law enforcement or as criminal justice personnel upon the culmination of

their degree (Courtright & Mackey, 2004; Krimmel & Tartaro, 1999).

Although the focus is on law enforcement and the desire of many criminal justice

majors to become police officers, it should be noted that many of these students

ultimately work within the juvenile and criminal justice systems in a variety of roles.

Furthermore, although there may be a limited portion of criminal justice students that

go on to work in law enforcement, the number of police officers with some college

education has grown steadily since the 1960s (Rosenfeld, Johnson, & Wright, 2018;

see also Carter & Sapp, 1990; National Planning Association, 1978; Reaves, 2015).

More specifically, Reaves (2015) indicates that in 2013, nearly one third of local

police officers were employed by a department with college education requirements

(p. 7). As such, it is important to examine criminal justice students’ sensitivity to and

perceptions of racism and discriminatory practices as well as their attitudes because of

the impact they may have at various points within the juvenile and criminal justice

systems. Upon entering the profession, these students can significantly impact the

lives of the citizens they serve, particularly minority communities that regularly

encounter law enforcement. Specifically, research has demonstrated that racial bias

and discriminatory attitudes held by criminal justice professionals, particularly police

officers, can lead to negative interactions with minorities (Fachner & Carter, 2015;

Fridell, 2017; Fryer, 2016; Goff, Lloyd, Geller, Raphael, & Gaser, 2016; James, 2017;

Nix et al., 2017).

There is a growing body of literature examining criminal justice students ’ atti-

tudes toward issues such as sexual orientation (Cannon, 2005; H. A. Miller & Kim,

2012; Olivero & Murataya, 2001; Ventura, Lambert, Bryant, & Pasupuleti, 2004),

ageism (Kane, 2006, 2007), hate crimes (A. J. Miller, 2001), and criminal rights

(Hensley, Miller, Tewksbury, & Koscheski, 2003; Hensley, Tewksury, Miller,

& Koscheski, 2002; Lambert, 2004; Mackey & Courtright, 2000; McCarthy

& McCarthy, 1981; Payne, Time, & Gainey, 2006; Tsoudis, 2000). However, to

date, little research has focused on criminal justice students’ perceptions of and

sensitivity to racism, which may influence their attitudes toward minorities. Given

the negative impact that implicit bias and lack of sensitivity to racism can have on

criminal justice professionals’ encounters with minorities and the policies these

future practitioners and administrators may enforce and decide upon, it is important

to examine criminal justice students’ perceptions of and attitudes toward racial

issues. As such, the current study seeks to gain insight into students’ attitudes and

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Jackson and Henderson