NCJ Number
68799
Date Published
1972
Length
161 pages
Annotation
ANALYSIS OF 1,161 RESPONSES FROM GRADUATES OF THE SCHOOL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE BETWEEN 1938 AND 1971 SHOWS THAT MOST ARE EMPLOYED BY PUBLIC LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES; LOW PAY AND LACK OF ADVANCEMENT EXIST.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH THERE WERE 2,253 GRADUATES DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, ONLY 1,822 WERE SENT QUESTIONNAIRES. THE REST COULD NOT BE LOCATED, WERE FOREIGN STUDENTS, WERE SENT PRETEST QUESTIONNAIRES, OR WERE DECEASED. THE RESPONSE WAS 67.1 PERCENT AND MOST OF THOSE WHO RETURNED THE FORMS WERE WHITE, RECENTLY GRADUATED MALES. MOST CHOSE A PUBLIC LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AS THEIR INITIAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (53 PERCENT), AND 45 PERCENT WERE STILL IN SUCH AN AGENCY. THOSE WHO DID NOT ENTER CRIMINAL JUSTICE REJECTED THE FIELD BECAUSE NO JOBS WERE AVAILABLE, PAY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCEMENT, WERE LOW, OR THEY WERE PREVENTED BY A PHYSICAL RESTRICTION. FEDERAL AGENCIES SOUGHT GRADUATES MOST ACTIVELY; PRIVATE POLICE RECRUITED LEAST ACTIVELY. MOST OF THE GRADUATES FELT THAT HIRING CONSIDERATIONS SHOULD GIVE MORE WEIGHT TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE TRAINING. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE JOB CHANGING, MOST RESPONDENTS WERE STILL IN THEIR INITIAL AREA OF EMPLOYMENT (74 PERCENT WHO BEGAN IN PUBLIC LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE STILL IN THE FIELD; 84 PERCENT WHO BEGAN ELSEWHERE ARE NOW IN LAW ENFORCEMENT). MOST FEEL THEIR TRAINING IS BEING UTILIZED IN THEIR PRESENT POSITIONS, BUT THEY RECOMMEND MORE MELDING OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND ADMINISTRATION COURSES. THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE CHOSEN ANOTHER MAJOR WOULD NOW PREFER LAW OR BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. TABLES GIVE STUDY STATISTICS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT ARE APPENDED.