Classical Criminological Perspective and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Rights

This study examined the degree to which perspectives consistent with classical criminological theory among college students and faculty supported public and governmental responses to same-sex rights (e.g., gay marriage). Classical criminology assumes that “crime is the product of a person’s free will” and “the main reason why people break the law is that they figure they can get away with it”. A convenience sample of 1471 undergraduate and graduate students, and college and university professors in the United States, Eastern Europe, Asia, and other unidentified countries completed a survey (via SurveyMonkey) between 2014 and 2015. The data failed to support our hypothesis that people who supported classical criminology were likely to see the issue of same-sex interaction as a non-rule violation and that same-sex rights should be provided. Bivariate analyses instead indicated that classical criminology perspectives did not support attitudes endorsing same-sex rights. One explanation is that people who support classical criminological perspective are more likely to be political conservative and religious, two characteristics that tend to disapprove homosexuality and, thus, less likely to support same-sex rights.