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CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES A PROFILE

NCJ Number
59364
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (SUMMER 1979) Pages: 147-172
Author(s)
R R BENNETT; I H MARSHALL
Date Published
1979
Length
26 pages
Annotation
PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED STATISTICS FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM (LEEP) REFLECTING THE STATUS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES ARE PRESENTED AND INTERPRETED.
Abstract
THE DATA COVER 1,025 PROGRAMS FUNDED BY LEEP IN 1976 AND 1,012 FUNDED IN 1977. INCLUDED ARE STATISTICS ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF PROGRAMS BY STATE, REGION, AND INSTITUTIONAL TYPE (UNIVERSITY, 4-YEAR, 2-YEAR) AND CONTROL (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE); NUMBER OF STUDENTS; TYPE AND NUMBER OF DEGREES AWARDED; AND ACADEMIC MAJORS (POLICE, CORRECTIONS, COURTS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE). TEXAS HAS THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PROGRAMS, BUT WYOMING HAS THE HIGHEST PROGRAM-POPULATION RATIO. CALIFORNIA HAS THE LOWEST RATIO. POPULATION DENSITY APPARENTLY IS NOT RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS IN A GEOGRAPHICAL REGION. MOST PROGRAMS ARE FOUND IN PUBLICLY CONTROLLED 2-YEAR INSTITUTIONS. THE MAJORITY ARE SMALL, USUALLY WITH ENROLLMENTS OF UNDER 200 STUDENTS, WHO ACCOUNT FOR LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE STUDENT BODY. MOST PRIVATE PROGRAMS ARE FOUND IN 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS, WHICH TEND TO OFFER SMALLER PROGRAMS AND AWARD RELATIVELY FEW DEGREES. ALTHOUGH LARGER IN TOTAL ENROLLMENT THAN PRIVATE PROGRAMS, PUBLIC PROGRAMS CONTAIN A RELATIVELY SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL STUDENT BODY. THE POLICE MAJOR IS THE MOST POPULAR, THE COURTS MAJOR THE LEAST POPULAR. THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITIES AND 2-YEAR INSTITUTIONS ARE POLICE MAJORS, WHILE STUDENTS IN 4-YEAR INSTITUTIONS ARE MOST LIKELY TO MAJOR IN CORRECTIONS. THE DISTRIBUTION OF MAJORS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THE NATURE OF INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL (PUBLIC OR PRIVATE). THESE STATISTICS PROVIDE A NECESSARY BACKDROP FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION. SUPPORTING DATA (21 TABLES) AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)