The development of mentorship programs at the Chinese university of Hong Kong

Mentoring as a time‐honored and effective mode of training and teaching is briefly reviewed, highlighting the valuing of the mentoring relationship in educating gifted and talented youths in Chinese history. The current development of mentorship programs for gifted students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong is explained with examples from the search for potential mentors within the university community, and the development and operation of the mentorship program of Chinese creative writings for Hong Kong students. Future directions in the development of mentorship programs for gifted students using information technology and peer mentors in double mentoring are discussed, and a model of three levels of mentoring encompassing telementoring, double mentoring, and one‐to‐one mentoring is suggested.     

Freshman interest groups in criminal justice education

Freshman group programs have been promoted by many institutions of higher learning. However, few empirical evaluations of such programs have been reported in the scholarly literature, and none have focused on programs in criminal justice education. Subjects in this study included 130 students enrolled in an introductory criminal justice course at one institution, a portion of which (32 students) were also enrolled in sections of a group program called Freshman Interest Groups. Results showed that students enrolled in this program did better in the course than their freshmen peers and upper-class students, which analyses showed was largely due to higher attendance.     

The mock trial course in justice education

This paper discusses the application of the mock trial, regularly used in legal education, to students of criminal or civil justice. The mock trial can be taught as a independent course or as a part of any course which deals with the criminal or civil justice system. The paper identifies the goals and benefits of the mock trial for justice students. These include providing an understanding of the justice system and whether it needs change, learning about litigation and legal issues in the justice context, using critical thinking skills, working as a group, and shaping the course of their careers.     

Supplementing the ‘College Experience’ with Program-Based Learning Communities

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to examine the benefits of a learning community created for first-year students enrolled in a criminal justice degree program at an urban community college in the Northeast. Quantitative and qualitative survey data were collected from three cohorts of students in the program-based learning community. Survey questions examined students’ satisfaction with the learning community structure and their perceptions of social networking and academic skills gained from participation in the learning community. Quantitative data from the college’s records were used to compare the academic progress and retention of criminal justice students in the program-based learning to other first-year criminal justice students. Our findings indicate that participants had positive experiences in the learning community reporting satisfaction with the learning community structure and significant social networking and academic benefits from their participation in the learning community. Findings also indicated that program-based learning community students exhibited greater academic progress and were retained at higher rates than other first-year criminal justice students. This study substantiates the positive impact of program-based learning communities on students’ satisfaction, their academic success toward degree completion, and retention.     

Liberal education and the criminal justice major

New perspectives on the impact of college on students, on linking general education, the major, electives and extra-classroom experiences toward the goal of “integrated learning,” and renewed emphasis on the importance of producing liberally educated college graduates, present opportunities for criminal justice educators to make their field a keystone in the architecture of a liberal education. In this essay, I argue that the multidisciplinary perspectives that characterize the field of criminal justice, as well as its core intellectual concerns, make criminal justice well-suited to serve as the infrastructure for a high-quality undergraduate liberal education program.     

Chris Dede's response

Abstract

The Division of Criminal Justice at the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) offers an entire criminal justice degree program via distance learning, principally through computer‐based Internet courses. During the Spring 1998 semester, an Internet tutorial was provided during the first week of classes to students in all Internet courses in the program. Its purpose was to familiarize students with basic computer skills and Internet usage. This article focuses on the use of the Internet tutorial in Web‐based courses, including an explanation of the tutorial, a discussion of its benefits for students and faculty, and implications for future computer‐based Internet courses.     

Thinking,talking, and teaching on race: Derrick bell's “the space traders”

More criminal justice students are interested in a career in physical evidence collection. Oftentimes faculty have limited knowledge of the subject, which undermines their efforts to advise students on how to secure such a position. Additionally, because crime scene technicians have traditionally learned the position through “on-the-job” training, few academic programs exist designed to provide this education and training. This paper provides an overview of the development of a college-level degree program that will prepare individuals for careers as crime scene technicians and gives faculty a basis for advising students about this career option.     

The “I” and the “ME” of criminology and criminal justice students: Symbolic interaction in an educational setting

This study examines the self-concept of criminology and criminal justice students, vis-`a-vis the perceptions held of them by non-criminology and criminal justice students, using a framework of symbolic interactionism. The data in this study were obtained from a sample of both criminology and criminal justice students and non-criminology and criminal justice students attending a large state university in north Texas. The findings reveal a lack of consensus among perception patterns held by criminology and criminal justice students and non-criminology and criminal justice students. Implications regarding the future of criminology and criminal justice education follow.     

Teaching the ultimate crime: Genocide and international law in the criminal justice curriculum

The rapid expansion of international law and the establishment of an international criminal court have resulted in new justice institutions that should not be ignored in criminal justice curricula. Genocide, as the focal point of an entire course or a unit within other courses, provides instructors with an organizational framework for addressing a wide variety of topics related to international law. This paper discusses how the crime of genocide can be integrated into criminal justice curricula and the opportunities it provides for examining international law, history, current events, and the interdependence of criminal justice system components. A course on genocide taught to advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students is described and evaluated.     

Constructing the case study in victimology

This article advocates the use of case studies to illustrate the importance of victimology in the criminal justice curriculum. The case study of a particular victimization introduces emerging issues in criminal justice, and illuminates the responsibility of the criminal justice system to prevent and react to crime. Academic programs are challenged to develop and maintain students' interest in this theoretical framework. Case studies in victimology promote interdisciplinary knowledge, critical thinking and precise writing skills. They also provide students with experience in research, investigation and integration of information.     

Restorative justice in the criminal justice curriculum

A perennial challenge for criminal justice educators is deciding which reform movements in criminal justice are worthy of coverage. Restorative justice is one such new movement that has made significant inroads in both criminal justice policy and practice. In this article, we argue that there are numerous benefits to including coverage of restorative justice in a criminal justice curriculum. We also offer a number of concrete suggestions for helping students learn about this radically different approach to dealing with crime.     

Teaching Toward Justice: Reflections on Collaboration,Engagement, and Social Action in Uncertain Times

ABSTRACT

Recent societal and political shifts have underscored the need for higher education programs to examine and reflect on the ways in which they address equity and social justice. As teacher-educators, we feel this call with particular urgency. In this paper, we describe our past and current efforts to engage in self-reflective inquiry and enact ways to better teach social justice in uncertain times. These efforts have included reflecting on our existing efforts as well as new directions such as creating an assignment to engage students in the analysis of their own social locations and creating a new course aimed at addressing intersectionality and social justice in education through the lens of documentary films. We recognize the need to not only address barriers to educational equity within our coursework, but also within our program itself as we work to improve our representation as well as our relationships with the surrounding schools and communities.     

Student attitudes towards internship experiences: From theory to practice

Traditionally, internships have provided a unique way for criminal justice students to gain work experience while earning academic credit. Questions remain, however, as to whether a student's educational experiences adequately reflect the realities of internship (and other work-related) experiences. As part of a larger study, we sought to explore student views and attitudes regarding their undergraduate curriculum and its relevance to their experiences at the criminal justice agencies. Through the use of self-report surveys, findings were two-fold, indicating tremendous support for internship programs. Moreover, (1) students felt their undergraduate curricula adequately reflected the practical realities of criminal justice operations, and (2) internships were regarded as invaluable in preparing students for criminal justice careers.     

Working an Academically Rigorous,Multicultural Program

In 1997 the California State University Monterey Bay Master of Arts in Education program began accepting students with the explicit intent of offering an academically challenging curriculum that grounds teacher-leaders in multicultural social justice education. By 2003, the program had successfully attracted and graduated a student population that is as racially and ethnically diverse as the state of California. As eight faculty members who designed and implemented this program, writing from a position of “insider knowledge” regarding how it functioned on a day-to-day basis, we show how culturally and linguistically diverse students, many of whom have been underprepared for rigorous academic work, can attain high levels of academic excellence in a challenging and supportive context. In addition, we explore the tensions and realities of doing this work, especially in a state university context that is experiencing decreased funding that jeopardizes programs such as this one. We write so that our work is not forgotten but rather narrates what is possible.     

Executing the mentally ill: The criminal justice system and the case of Alvin Ford and the death penalty and racial bias: Overturning supreme court assumptions

ABSTRACT

This article discusses the benefits and detriments of student internships in criminal justice programs that grant a baccalaureate degree. The authors reviewed contemporary literature and studies of internships for liberal arts majors in general and for criminal justice students in particular. Subjects addressed include selection criteria for students' eligibility, orientation of students before the internship, agency selection, the standard of care expected of faculty supervising students, techniques of maintaining the standard of care, benefits to academic departments, students and agencies, and legal liabilities of internships.     

Make or break: the role and support needs of academic advisors in work-integrated learning courses

ABSTRACT

The role of academic advisors in work-integrated learning courses is crucial to student success, yet poorly understood. This research aimed to understand the role and support needs of academic advisors by conducting interviews, a survey, and a focus group within a service learning program in Queensland, Australia. Participants identified rewards in observing student transformation and supporting students to contribute to social justice causes. However, the role had high demands in terms of pastoral support. Although academic advisors reported strong support mechanisms, they identified gaps in supporting them to meet the needs of international students and students with mental health issues. Academic advisors need strong mentoring or supervisory support to deal with diverse student issues, clear processes for tracking and managing students, training and resources to deal with special needs students, and opportunities for team building and bonding. Supporting academic advisors could help to better support students to successfully complete internships.     

An Adult Learning Approach to Preparing Mentors and Mentees

Abstract

This article approaches mentorship through an adult education lens. The author argues that using an adult education design for the initial preparation and continuing professional education of mentors and mentees enhances the value of the educational experience by making it responsive to adult learning needs and by communicating the importance of continuous learning. From this perspective, mentorship is seen as having tremendous potential to make a major contribution to adult learning for educators. By contributing to a philosophy and practice of lifelong learning, mentorship can breathe new life into the education profession.     

White-collar crime in the criminal justice curriculum

Recognition of the significance of white-collar crime has grown substantially in recent years, but this growth has not been reflected adequately in the field of criminal justice or in the criminal justice curriculum. Through a content analysis of criminal justice and criminology textbooks and program course offerings the authors demonstrate the relative neglect of white-collar crime, and especially its marginal position in the criminal justice curriculum. Some hypothetical reasons for this relative neglect are explored. An argument is made on both theoretical and pragmatic grounds for more sustained and more systematic integration of white-collar crime into the criminal justice curriculum.     

Career choices and characteristics of criminal justice undergraduates

Four hundred undergraduate criminal justice students from twelve colleges and universities in seven states participated in an anonymous, written survey designed to determine career choices and expectations as well as other demographic information. Approximately half of the students surveyed indicated that they were pursuing a career in law enforcement. Almost one-third indicated that they had no career plans. We found that reasons for studying criminal justice vary by race and gender, as do career goals.