NCJ Number
80104
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1981) Pages: 313-316
Date Published
1981
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the continuing conflict over the value of education for police personnel, including the desirability of an academic degree and if a degree improves the quality of police work.
Abstract
A distinction is made between training and education. While both education and training develop skill, education is aimed at developing the skills of the mind, and training focuses on developing the mechanical skills and the basic knowledge which must accompany these skills. Today more than 50 percent of America's youth are in college. Because an undergraduate degree is equivalent to the high school diploma of 10 years ago, on this basis alone it appears justifiable to raise police entrance requirements from a high school degree to a college baccalaureate. The most debated question centers on whether a college degree actually improves the quality of police work. Some limited studies have been conducted, but no comprehensive studies have been done on this issue. Results of these limited studies often conflict with each other, but until a major study proves that college-educated officers are inferior to noncollege-educated police officers, departments should continue to recruit college-educated persons. Scathing criticism of police education programs has come from the Police Foundation, which states that criminal justice programs lack credentials. The foundation found that over 1,070 police education programs exist, with most being established primarily as a result of opportunism. Until there is positive evidence that any particular college degree is better than another, all degrees should be acceptable. A total of 14 references are supplied.