NCJ Number
57432
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (FALL 1978) Pages: 37-44
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE PROBLEM OF ESTABLISHING THE VALUE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION IS DISCUSSED. THE OBJECTIVES, FUNCTIONS, ASSUMPTIONS, AND SUCCESSES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION ARE EVALUATED.
Abstract
IT WAS ASSUMED FOR A LONG TIME THAT NEEDS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION WERE BEST MET BY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING; INDEED, IT IS ASSUMED BY EDUCATORS THAT WHAT IS GOOD FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IS ALSO GOOD CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION. THAT SUPPOSITION IGNORES THE FACT THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS IN UNIVERSITIES WERE CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE TURBULENCE OF THE 1960'S AND THE SUDDEN AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR SUCH PROGRAMS. THUS, THE INCENTIVE FOR THEIR CREATION WAS GOVERNMENTAL RATHER THAN EDUCATIONAL. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FEW STUDIES THAT ADDRESS THEMSELVES TO THE IMPACT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION FAIL TO DEMONSTRATE ITS EFFECTIVENESS. THE ONLY RELIABLE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS IN UNIVERSITIES SPAWNED A NEW BUREAUCRARY. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS COMPOSED OF WIDELY DIVERGENT AND DISPARATE SEGMENTS WITH INTERESTS AND GOALS PECULIAR TO THEMSELVES. IT IS ASSUMED THAT HIGHER EDUCATION HAS ENRICHED THE TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION; THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY DEMONSTRATED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE GOALS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION BE MORE NARROWLY DEFINED. IT IS FURTHER RECOMMENDED THAT MORE FEASIBLE PROGRAMS BE CREATED AND IMPLEMENTED, THAT EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL BE STRINGENTLY REVIEWED, AND THAT OTHER RESOURCES, OUTSIDE OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, BE IDENTIFIED AND PURSUED. IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT MERELY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION WILL NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUATE TRAINING OF EFFECTIVE AND COMPETENT LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (TWM)