IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION - THE ROLE OF INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS.

• NCJ Number: 58493
• Journal: Police Studies Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 43-49
• Author(s): J R GREENE
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: John Jay Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REVISION OF A PRESENTATION TO THE MIDWESTERN CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATOR'S ASSOCIATION, OMAHA, NEBRASKA, NOVEMBER 1978

Annotation

THE VALUE OF INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS IN PROVIDING QUALITY CONTROL FOR POLICE EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUMS AND EDUCATIONAL MODELS IS DISCUSSED, AND THE MANAGEMENT OF INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS IS EXAMINED.

Abstract

INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION PROVIDE A METHOD OF APPROACHING THE CURRICULUM DESIGN PROBLEM BY MEDIATING BETWEEN THE OFTEN COMPETING DEMANDS OF TEACHING, RESEARCH, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. THIS IS DONE BY PROVIDING BOTH SHORT AND LONG-TERM FEEDBACK FOCUSED ON THE VALIDITY OF THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND BY ESTABLISHING ACADEMIC CONTROL OVER BOTH THE PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS TO INTERNSHIP POSITIONS AND THE EXPERIENCES TO WHICH STUDENTS ARE EXPOSED. POLICE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS MUST BE AWARE OF THE ASSUMPTIONS INHERENT IN THE EDUCATIONAL MODELS UNDERLYING A PARTICULAR LAW ENFORCEMENT CURRICULUM AND THE UTILITY OF THESE MODELS FOR BOTH THE ACADEMIC AND AGENCY WORLDS. INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS ARE PRESENTED AS WAYS OF ORGANIZING POLICE CURRICULUMS TO TEST THE APPLICABILITY OF INSTITUTIONAL ROLE DEFINITIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS IN EDUCATIONAL MODELS. GENERALLY, LITTLE CONSIDERATION OF THE ROLE OF INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT CURRICULUMS HAS EMERGED BEYOND ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE USEFULNESS OF DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN STUDENTS AND ACTUAL POLICE WORK. AS A RESULT, INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ADJUNCTS TO CURRICULUMS, RECEIVING LITTLE ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT. MANY OF THE PROBLEMS BESETTING THE INTERNSHIP PLACEMENT PROCESS MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH A GENERAL FAILURE IN MANAGEMENT. INTERNSHIP ADMINISTRATORS MUST BE CONCERNED WITH THE GENERATION OF BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMITMENT FOR THEIR PROGRAM. INTERNAL COMMITMENT INVOLVES INTEGRATING THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM INTO THE CURRICULUM IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY, WHICH INVOLVES USING IT TO EVALUATE THE RELEVANCE AND QUALITY OF THE CURRICULUM ITSELF. EXTERNAL COMMITMENT RELATES TO POLICE AGENCY COMMITMENT TOWARD THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND ITS INTERNSHIP COMPONENT. ASPECTS OF SECURING THESE COMMITMENTS ARE DISCUSSED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED---RCB)