Faculty Attitudes Toward College Students With Criminal Records

This inquiry explores university faculty attitudes toward college students with criminal records to better understand whether professors view them differently than the general student body. Utilizing a framework informed by the concept of stigma and existing research on individuals with criminal records in traditional higher education settings, we analyzed faculty responses to nine scenarios related to their encounters with students on campus. The 229 survey participants had relatively supportive reactions, but their views were significantly more negative about college students with criminal records compared with other students. Faculty exhibited particularly stigmatizing attitudes toward college students convicted of serious violent offenses.