The Specter of Authoritarianism among Criminal Justice Majors at Outreach Centers: Do University Outreach Efforts Breed Right-Wing Authoritarianism?

Abstract

While research has examined criminal justice students in traditional university settings, a predominately Black college, and a military college, no one has looked at CJ students in outreach centers. These centers allow students to pursue a four-year degree without leaving their community. Students are exposed to limited diversity because of this setting. Previous studies found that lower division male freshman CJ students were of a higher Right-Wing Authoritarian (RWA) mindset. Based on our study, we conclude that having a CJ program at an outreach center produces a broader finding. A young male CJ student at an outreach center is more prone to RWA attitudes – similar to the mindset of a military college CJ major. However, a young male CJ major does not necessarily mean lower division. We found older students tend to have lower RWA attitudes and in this setting, it is common to have older lower division students.