Selective punitiveness among social work students: A longitudinal study

This article presents the primary results of a longitudinal study on attitudes toward punishment, among social work students in Germany. This is particularly relevant because social workers, especially in the field of criminal justice, are part of the state control bodies required to set boundaries...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Hanslmaier, Michael 1983- (Author) ; Ghanem, Christian (Author) ; Graebsch, Christine 1967- (Author) ; Lutz, Tilman 1973- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: Probation journal
Year: 2025, Volume: 72, Issue: 4, Pages: 383-405
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Germany
social work students
perceptions about crime and punishment
Punitiveness
Description
Summary:This article presents the primary results of a longitudinal study on attitudes toward punishment, among social work students in Germany. This is particularly relevant because social workers, especially in the field of criminal justice, are part of the state control bodies required to set boundaries and decide for or against certain sanctions. The results show that punitive attitudes are not uncommon among first-year social work students but decrease during the course of their study, especially in students majoring in the field of criminal justice. Simultaneously, “selective punitiveness” was evident.
ISSN:1741-3079
DOI:10.1177/02645505251364173