02/24/2022
By Karen Mullins
The School of Criminology and Justice Studies in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences invites you to attend a doctoral proposal defense by Katrina M. Cole entitled "The Decriminalization Debate: Understanding Morality, Public Opinion, and the Drivers of Sex Work Policy Preferences."
Date: Wednesday, March 9, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Zoom Meeting (Passcode: 983860)
Committee:
- Jason Rydberg, Chair
- Andrew Harris
- Amber Horning-Ruf
- Carol Hay
ABSTRACT: Amidst an expanding market of erotic products and services and broader calls for criminal justice reform in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, societal views about policing those involved in sex work are likely shifting. Although attempts to decriminalize sex work are becoming increasingly common, with legislation introduced in Washington D.C., New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts, all have failed to pass into law. While a framing battle occurs among activists and lobbyists attempting to influence policy, it is unknown how the public views sex work as a social problem within an increasingly mainstream commercial sex industry. Given limited knowledge regarding current levels of public support for decriminalization, the proposed study seeks to use Weitzer’s sex work paradigms and Moral Foundations Theory to examine how problem framing and moral values are associated with individual evaluations of sex work and associated policy. Further, it will investigate the degree to which the public subscribes to the various arguments levied in this debate, and which arguments are most influential in increasing support for decriminalization.