Curriculum Implications of Anti-Gay Attitudes Among Undergraduate Criminal Justice Majors

Abstract

To examine attitudes towards gays and lesbians in an undergraduate criminal justice sample and to test previous research suggesting that law enforcement students hold higher levels of homophobia, we surveyed 453 undergraduates. Results indicated higher levels of anti-gay attitudes in criminal justice majors compared to a small sample of non-criminal justice majors and similar levels of anti-gay attitudes between law enforcement and other criminal justice students. Gender, race, religion, gay/lesbian friends, patriarchal attitudes, and completing a social science minor outside of criminal justice were found to be significant predictors of attitudes toward gays and lesbians; while the number of courses in which homosexuality issues were included in discussion was not. These findings are discussed and we offer suggestions for criminal justice curriculum that may assist our students in maintaining and upholding a fair and just criminal justice system.

Experiences of Trans Scholars in Criminology and Criminal Justice

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Queering Employee Engagement to Understand and Improve the Performance of Gay Male Law Enforcement Officers: A Phenomenological Exploration

“…A suggestion for overcoming problems related to the acceptance of gay LEOs is to integrate LGBTQ issues explicitly into curriculum and training for LE and criminal justice professionals (Hayes & Ball, ; Miller & Kim, ), but this may be a shortsighted approach. Because of heteronormativity, efforts aimed at reducing stigma for LGBTQ people in LE may be thwarted by the attitudes of officers who do not think the issue of gay LEOs' full acceptance, engagement, and performance is a real issue.…”

A Critical Examination of the Experience of being a Gay Officer in the Masculinized Industry of Law Enforcement

“…Some suggest the key to overcoming problems related to the acceptance of gay LEOs is to integrate sexual minority issues explicitly and insistently into training and curriculum for LE and criminal justice professionals (Hayes & Ball, 2009;Miller & Kim, 2012), but this may be a shortsighted approach. Because of heteronormative and homophobic norms, efforts aimed at reducing stigma for sexual minorities in LE may be thwarted by the attitudes of some officers who do not think the issue of gay LEOs' (non)disclosure and acceptance is a real issue.…”