The role of emotion in the context of virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs) has lately received increased attention, though there is a gap in the research on VRLEs in criminal justice. The current study examines the impact of a virtual reality experience that focuses on mental illness occurring in those within the criminal justice system.…

A small university in rural Texas explored developing a criminal justice bachelor's degree curriculum through the lens of perspective transformation focusing on humanity courses, resulting in a paradigm shift away from a traditional criminal justice baccalaureate degree curriculum. This article addresses the university's journey in developing the…

In a world of ever-changing demographics, it is imperative that criminal justice practitioners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to effectively interact with the communities they serve. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to ascertain the relationship between perceptions of diversity of undergraduate criminal justice majors at a…

Active learning, with students engaging in research or activities within the community, is a favoured approach in contemporary higher education. To support this approach, the Criminology and Forensic Studies programmes at the University of Winchester have included student research into miscarriages of justice. The students interrogate evidence…

Teaching and research are often the most focused upon aspects of working within academia in criminology and criminal justice (Sitren & Applegate, 2012; Jonson & Moon, 2014; Pratt, 2014), but an overlooked and underappreciated part of an undergraduate's overall higher education success is academic advising (Light, 2001). There has been…

The current project conducted an assessment of specific, directed use of student-centered teaching techniques in a criminal justice and criminology research methods and statistics class. The project sought to ascertain to what extent these techniques improved or impacted student learning and engagement in this traditionally difficult course.…

Criminal justice education is a relatively new program in higher education in many countries, and its curriculum and parameters remain unsettled. An exploratory study investigated whether threshold concepts theory provided a useful lens by which to explore student understandings of this multidisciplinary field. Eight high-performing final-year…

Contrary to the dominant discourse metanarrative, this dissertation explores, re-exposes, and updates the generally hidden realities of what is actually taking place in the current operation of the American criminal justice system. The government/dominant discourse benefits from the amorphous ambiguity of the law in conjunction with its usage of…

At a time when Congress is facing critical decisions with respect to criminal justice policy, the participation of criminologists in the formation of policies remains negligible. A commitment by criminologists to policy research that examines the links between economic conditions and crime would constitute an enlightened approach to crime control.…

In the first part of the article, the author explains why he feels the responsibility for setting sentence guidelines should be confined to a separate body (a sentencing commission). The second part of the article rehearses the arguments for sentencing reform and, in particular, for presumptive sentences. (Author)

This thesaurus contains listings of descriptors or terms used to index the literature in the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) documentation data base and to store and retrieve information about the literature for users of the service. Term selection is based largely on the vocabulary of the authors of the documents entering the…

Forensic science provides scientific and foundational information for investigators and courts, and thus plays a crucial role in the criminal justice system. This guide was developed through the work of the Technical Working Group on Education and Training in Forensic Science (TWGED) to serve as a reference on best education and training practices…

Investigates whether the victim-offender relationship plays a role in determining the original charge, crime conviction, and sentence length of inmates in prison for violent crimes. Results indicate the victim-offender relationship is related to the legal processing in paradoxical ways. Thus, although nonstranger offenders are charged with and…

The assumptions of the principle of legality are explored. It is concluded that any response to human conflict that respects individual authenticity and sovereignty, human diversity, competency, and shared responsiblity can only be given retrospectively. (Author/MC)

This volume of the "Publications of the National Institute of Justice" encompasses all documents published for distribution by the National Institute of Justice from 1978 to 1982. This comprehensive bibliography, which covers all the annual supplements since the last cumulative volume (1978), provides criminal justice professionals with…