GOAL PERSPECTIVES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION - A COMPARATIVE STUDY

• NCJ Number: 55401
• Author(s): M W NEUSTROM
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 185 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

THE STUDY CONDUCTS AN ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE VARIOUS GROUPS CONSTITUTING A CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM THAT ARE VITAL TO THE FORMULATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS AND DIRECTIVES.

Abstract

THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE OPINIONS OF VARIOUS CONSTITUENT GROUPS TOWARD POTENTIAL GOALS FOR THE TEXAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER, SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY, HUNTSVILLE, TEX. THE STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: (1) DO DIFFERENCES EXIST IN THE OPINIONS HELD BY VARIOUS CONSTITUENT GROUPS OF THE CENTER? AND (2) DO DIFFERENCES EXIST BETWEEN THE PRESENT CONDITION AND THE PREFERRED CONDITION IN EACH GOAL AREA? THE FIVE GROUPS SURVEYED WERE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, MASTERS DEGREE AND DOCTORAL STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND EXECUTIVES EMPLOYED BY THE CENTER. EACH RESPONDENT WAS GIVEN A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE INSTITUTIONAL GOALS INVENTORY TO SOLICIT HIS OPINION CONCERNING HOW IMPORTANT A PARTICULAR GOAL WAS TO THE CENTER AT THE PRESENT TIME AND HOW IMPORTANT THE RESPONDENT CONSIDERED THE GOAL SHOULD BE. CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND TO EXIST AMONG THE FIVE GROUPS. FACULTY MEMBERS AND DOCTORAL STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY RATED THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOAL TO THE INSTITUTION SIMILARLY, AND THEY CONSISTENTLY RANKED THE GOALS LOWER IN IMPORTANCE THAN THE OTHER THREE GROUPS. CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXECUTIVES, UNDERGRADUATES, AND MASTERS STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY RATED THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOAL TO THE INSTITUTION SIMILARLY, AND THEY RANKED THE GOALS HIGHER IN IMPORTANCE THAN THE OTHER TWO GROUPS. THESE FINDINGS INDICATE THE NEED TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION LINKS AMONG THE GROUPS. REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS TO DISCUSS CENTER GOALS AND A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ARE RECOMMENDED. PERIODIC GOAL STUDIES ALSO SHOULD BE CONDUCTED TO DETECT CHANGES IN IMPORTANCE ATTRIBUTED TO GOALS. TABLES AND FIGURES ILLUSTRATE THE TEST, AND APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE MODIFIED VERSION OF THE INSTITUTIONAL GOAL INVENTORY AND ADDITIONAL DATA. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--KJM)