DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION IN SECONDARY EDUCATION

• NCJ Number: 57350
• Author(s): F J COOK
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 71 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY - MASTERS THESIS

Annotation

THIS REPORT FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATORS DESCRIBES 21 SECONDARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (CRJ-LEN) AND PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF A CRJ COURSE AMONG STUDENTS IN FAYETTE COUNTY, OHIO.

Abstract

NEW EMPHASIS ON CAREER EDUCATION, THE GROWING PRESENCE OF POLICE IN SCHOOLS, AND THE NEED FOR BETTER CRIMINAL JUSTICE KNOWLEDGE AMONG CITIZENS MAKES CRJ-LEN COURSES RELEVANT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS COMPLETING A SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE, AS WELL AS THE 21 PROGRAMS IDENTIFIED SEPARATELY, DATA INDICATE THAT THREE TYPES OF PROGRAMS ARE OPERATING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: LAW-RELATED SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAMS, CRIMINAL JUSTICE LAW ENFORCEMENT VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY PARTICIPATION PROGRAMS IN LAW-RELATED AREAS. MOST PROGRAMS ARE ELECTIVE SOCIAL STUDIES COURSES TAUGHT BY INSTRUCTORS WITH LITTLE OR NO CRIMINAL JUSTICE TRAINING. VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE USUALLY TAUGHT BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, AND COLLEGE-RELATED PROGRAMS ARE PRESIDED OVER BY LAW STUDENTS OR COLLEGE PROFESSORS. MOST SOCIAL STUDIES PROGRAMS OFFERED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS GUEST SPEAKERS, AND FOUR OUT OF SEVEN VOCATIONAL COURSES PROVIDED FIELD WORK. IN ANOTHER STUDY FOR THIS REPORT, 50 STUDENTS IN OHIO WERE TESTED FOR CAREER AWARENESS, GOAL SELECTION, AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER TAKING THE 'CAREERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE' COURSE. ALTHOUGH GOAL SELECTION RESULTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE, IMPROVEMENT IN KNOWLEDGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE CAREERS WAS GREATER THAN ANTICIPATED. EDUCATORS INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHING CRJ-LEN PROGRAMS ARE REFERRED TO THE LAW IN AMERICAN SOCIETY FOUNDATION FOR TEACHER TRAINING AND CURRICULA. GUIDELINES FOR ESTABLISHING VOCATIONAL OR COLLEGE-RELATED CRJ-LEN COURSES ARE INCLUDED. FOOTNOTES, TABULAR DATA, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE QUESTIONNAIRE, TESTS, A STUDENT CAREERS SURVEY, AND A DIRECTORY OF THE 21 CRJ-LEN PROGRAMS. (PAP)