Quality Standards for Criminal Justice Education: The Long and Winding Road

Abstract

Higher education in criminology and criminal justice has evolved over the last 100 years in fits and starts. The road was long, and it took many turns, reflecting not only the need for training and professionalism among criminal justice practitioners, but for the development of a new academic field of study at colleges and universities. This article traces the history of the quest for academic standards in higher education, specifically the role of ACJS in this endeavor. Both authors have contributed to ACJS’s efforts over the years and were involved in the two most recent iterations of ACJS Academic Program Review: Certification and Program Endorsement. We chronicle the rise and fall of certification and the recent effort to create an endorsement program that seeks to balance the need for quality control while providing the desired flexibility for individual programs.