NCJ Number
165523
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Education Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall 1996) Pages: 263-274
Date Published
1996
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the current status of Comparative Policing in the criminology/criminal justice curriculum.
Abstract
In particular, the article examines why comparative policing is important but is marginalized in typical American criminology/criminal justice departments. The extreme difficulty in teaching, introducing or maintaining comparative policing in the curriculum is supported by seven interrelated arguments, including, in order of importance: (1) students' and faculty members' resistance; (2) the paucity of research on comparative policing; (3) the limited quality of instructional tools; (4) the narrow focus of research in this area; (5) the small pool of qualified individuals available to teach this material; (6) the lack of emphasis on this approach in the general criminology/criminal justice curriculum; and (7) the confused nature of the criminology/criminal justice curriculum. The article discusses each argument in detail, and suggests seven ways to improve the comparative policing offered: curriculum review; close examination of the philosophy; increased institutional support; more effective use of human resources; widening of the potential statistical and bibliographic sources for instructors and students; encouraging student journals containing observations of how domestic and foreign police officers and activities are portrayed in the media; and contacting foreign embassies, trade missions or cultural associations for information. Notes, references