Maltese University students’ attitudes towards prisoners and ex-prisoners : a study on the social psychology of prejudice

Abstract

This study explores the attitudes of Maltese university students towards prisoners and exprisoners. The focus of the research was to explore whether there was prejudice towards prisoners and ex-prisoners, and whether gender, locality, faculty, socioeconomic status and contact with a prisoner or ex-prisoner influenced these attitudes. The results were obtained through the use of two questionnaires adapted from the Situational Attitude Scale by Sedlacek and Brooks (1970). 226 respondents replied to the first questionnaire having scenarios involving ex-prisoners, while 259 replied to the second questionnaire having scenarios involving individuals with no criminal record. The results were analysed using Independent-Samples T Test and One-Way ANOVA. The results showed that whilst there is significant prejudice towards prisoners, the variables of gender, locality, faculty, socioeconomic status and contact had very little influence. The study concludes with limitations, and recommendations for further research, policy and practice.