EDUCATION FOR CAREERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE - A CHALLENGE TO LIBERAL ARTS (FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, 1977 BY ALVIN W COHN - SEE NCJ-44961)

• NCJ Number: 44964
• Author(s): M L MAY
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): EEP 74-18721
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE RESULTS OF A STUDY EXPLORING THE RELATION BETWEEN LIBERAL ARTS, SOCIOLOGY, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARE REPORTED.

Abstract

SINCE THE MID-1960'S, THE FIELD OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY PROFESSIONALIZED. THIS BRINGS UP QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMPETITIVENESS OF A LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE IN FINDING A JOB IN THE FIELD. THE LIBERAL ARTS GRADUATE WILL BE COMPETING WITH BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE GRADUATES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE. HIS OR HER SUCCESS IN GETTING A JOB WILL DEPEND ON PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE HIRING AGENCY AND STAFF AND ON THE QUALITATIVE NATURE OF THE TWO DEGREES. AT TOP MANAGEMENT LEVELS, A SPECIALIZED CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE IS SEEN AS ESSENTIAL, HOWEVER, NOT ALL AGENCY STAFF MEMBERS ARE AWARE OF OR CONCERNED WITH THIS VIEW. MANY CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS ARE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED; SUCH NARROWLY FOCUSED TRAINING TENDS TO DIMINISH THOSE GRADUATES' ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE AND DEAL WITH CHANGE EFFECTIVELY. THEY TEND TO LACK A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AS A SYSTEM. THE DISADVANTAGE OF A LIBERAL ARTS DEGREE IS THAT GRADUATES DO NOT HAVE AS MUCH SPECIFIC, TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE. THE ADVANTAGES ARE THAT THEY ACQUIRE A BROADER PERSPECTIVE ON THEIR OWN RELATION TO THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, AND IN ADDITION, DEVELOP THREE ESSENTIAL SKILLS: THE ABILITY TO WRITE WELL; TO VERBALIZE WELL; AND TO THINK LOGICALLY, ANALYTICALLY, AND CRITICALLY. THERE ARE SEVERAL IMPLICATIONS FOR LIBERAL ARTS PROGRAMS. SOME PARTICULAR TYPES OF CURRICULAR PREPARATION (ESPECIALLY SOCIOLOGY AND/OR POLITICAL SCIENCE) WILL HELP THE LIBERAL ARTS GRADUATE TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE. TO BECOME MORE MEANINGFUL, THE SOCIOLOGY CURRICULUM SHOULD STAY BROAD. BUT SHOULD ALSO (1) INCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL COURSES IN THEORY AND CONCEPTS RELATED TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD; (2) ATTEMPT TO RELATE CLASSROOM WORK TO SOME MEASURE OF 'ON-LINE' WORK EXPERIENCE; (3) CONTAIN AT LEAST ONE RIGOROUS COURSE IN RESEARCH METHODS AND DESIGN; AND (4) TAKE THEORIES AND CONCEPTS AND PLACE THEM IN A CONCRETE, WORKING CONTEXT. TEACHING METHODS SHOULD EMPHASIZE THE DISCUSSION/SEMINAR FORMAT IN CLASS, CRITICAL PAPER WRITING, AND ESSAY EXAMS. STUDENT ADVISING SHOULD STRESS THE ADVANTAGES OF A LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION IN THE WORK WORLD, HOW TO GO ABOUT A JOB SEARCH, AND WHAT COURSES TO TAKE AND WORK EXPERIENCE TO GAIN.