NCJ Number
59238
Date Published
1979
Length
366 pages
Annotation
COMMISSION RESEARCH FOCUSING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR POSTSECONDARY CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND DEVELOPMENT OF A DATA BASE FOR SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE JOINT COMMISSION OF CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION AND STANDARDS BEGAN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN JULY 1978. MAJOR TASKS INCLUDED THE CREATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A SAMPLING STRATEGY FOR THE STUDY POPULATION AND APPROPRIATE SURVEY INSTRUMENT. THREE TYPES OF QUESTIONNAIRES WERE PRODUCED, AIMED AT STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. A LITERATURE REVIEW REVEALED THAT FEW SIGNIFICANT STUDIES OF THE SUBJECT AREA EXISTED. UPON QUESTIONNAIRE COMPLETION, THE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS WERE PRETESTED IN THREE WASHINGTON, D.C., AREA POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS. A TOTAL OF 3,278 INSTITUTIONS OFFERING SUCH PROGRAMS WERE IDENTIFIED AND POSTCARDS WERE SENT TO ALL FOR CONFIRMATION OF PROGRAM OFFERING. CONSULTANTS SUGGESTED THAT A RANDOM SAMPLING PLAN BE USED, AND SAMPLE SELECTION CRITERIA WERE THEN DEVELOPED. CONCERNING THE MINIMUM STANDARDS INVESTIGATION, THE COMMISSION DELINEATED SALIENT CRITERIA IN ITS STANDARD-SETTING REPORT OF DECEMBER 1978. QUESTIONNAIRE DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS ASPECT FOLLOWED THE OUTLINE OF THE DATA REQUIREMENTS. UPON RECEIVING THE RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRES, THE COMMISSION WILL THEN DECIDE THE PROPER METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS. PROBABLY A SOCIOMETRIC TECHNIQUE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PANEL OF EXPERTS TECHNIQUE, WILL BE EMPLOYED TO ENSURE SOME MEASURE OF OBJECTIVITY AND RESULT IN A VIABLE STATEMENT OF MINIMUM STANDARDS. THE REPORT INCLUDES 14 APPENDIXES CONTAINING QUESTIONNAIRES, DATA REQUIREMENTS, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL. (LWM)