NCJ Number
59581
Date Published
Unknown
Length
15 pages
Annotation
DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION FACES THREE PROBLEMS: TO IDENTIFY KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD, NAME THE FIELD, AND ACHIEVE ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION.
Abstract
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS HAVE RESPONDED POORLY AND WITH NO COMMON APPROACH OR TASK ANALYSIS TO THE CRIME PROBLEM. FROM THIS NEED COMES THE DEMAND TO UPGRADE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL. HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE BEING DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO THIS DEMAND. THE RESULT IS A DOUBLING OF PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA ALONE, FROM 16 TO 32 FROM 1960 TO 1965, TO ALMOST 700 PROGRAMS NATIONWIDE TODAY. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT CURRICULUMS BE ESTABLISHED TO UNIFY THE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, CRIMINOLOGY, SOCIAL SCIENCE, CRIMINAL LAW, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, AND CORRECTIONS. THE DIFFICULTY IN ACHIEVING THIS LIES IN NAMING AND IDENTIFYING THE NEEDED FIELD OF KNOWLEDGE, BUT MOST OF ALL IN HIRING FACULTY WITH CREDENTIALS ANALOGOUS TO THOSE OF PERSONS TEACHING IN RELATED FIELDS. MOST CRIMINAL JUSTICE FACULTY MEMBERS LACK ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS BUT BRING PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE ALONG WITH UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES TO THE CLASSROOM. THE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE TOWARD DEVELOPING CRIMINAL JUSTICE GENERALISTS. (RFC)