ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES AND DEBATES - AN ESSAY ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY AS PROFESSIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

• NCJ Number: 69164
• Author(s): F T Morn
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 30 pages
• Grant Number(s): 79CD-AX-0001
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Joint Cmssn on Criminology and Criminal Justice Education and Standards
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE HISTORY AND CURRENT STATUS OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AS ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES ARE DISCUSSED, TOGETHER WITH THE NATURE OF THE 'PROFESSIONALIZATION' PROCESS IN GENERAL.

Abstract

MILESTONES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARE REVIEWED. ATTRIBUTES OF THE 'CULTURE OF PROFESSIONALISM' ARE CONSIDERED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE PROFESSIONALIZATION PROCESS. DEBATES AND DISCUSSIONS WITHIN AND BETWEEN THE CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE DISCIPLINES ARE THEN CONSIDERED IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS PROCESS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE HAVE BEEN ACTING OUT A PROCESS EXPERIENCED BY OTHER ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES, AND THAT PROFESSIONALS IN BOTH FIELDS ARE UNDERGOING 'HEALTHY PERIODS OF SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-CRITICISM.' IT IS ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THE TWO DISCIPLINES ARE JOINED BY A COMMON INTEREST, BUT SEPARATED BY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES: CRIMINOLOGY IS CLOSELY LINKED TO AN ACADEMIC TRADITION THROUGH SOCIOLOGY, WHILE CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS MORE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF CRIMINOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE. THAT PROBLEMS MAY AWAIT BOTH DISCIPLINES AS LEAA FUNDS DIMINISH OR ARE DISTRIBUTED AMONG MORE PROGRAMS AND RESEARCHERS IS POINTED OUT. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED.