Criminal Justice Textbooks Research Articles

Introducing Ethics: An Examination of the Coverage of Ethics in Introductory Criminal Justice Textbooks

Introducing Ethics: An Examination of the Coverage of Ethics in Introductory Criminal Justice Textbooks

Social constructions of racial images in introductory criminal justice and criminology textbooks: a content analysis

ABSTRACT Visual images in introductory textbooks play an important role in constructing the concept of race for students entering the field of criminal justice/criminology. Prior studies on race depictions in criminal justice/criminology textbooks have focused on individual images depicting persons as criminal justice personnel, relating to type of crime or criminal justice context, and as victim. By analyzing a total of 2,286 individuals in 1,943 images from 23 textbooks this study expands on this approach by also differentiating exclusive portrayals from social compositions (two or more individuals), analyzing placement of image within substantive area of the text, and by examining interactive depictions (victim/criminal, professional/criminal, and victim/professional) according to race. The results reveal noteworthy racially biased depictions in introductory criminal justice/criminology textbooks.

Law Enforcement and the Depiction of Minorities and Women on Social Media: A Review of Municipal Police Department Facebook Pictures

There is a growing area of research today focusing on how the demographics of law enforcement officers and criminals are depicted. This research has concentrated on portrayals by the media, popular culture, criminal justice textbooks, training manuals, and other literature surrounding criminal justice. There is little known, however, about the way the race and gender of police and criminals are represented on social media. This study attempts to fill this void by examining police Facebook pages in the 171 largest cities in the United States. Specifically, 20,152 images of police and criminals on these police Facebook pages are examined to determine whether there are disparities in representation based on race, gender, and other variables. We found that female and minority officers are appropriately represented in the images of police on Facebook pages in relation to their actual representation in the field. In contrast, images of criminals tend to be disproportionately composed of Black males. Implications for the recruitment of minority officers and other relevant issues are discussed.

Do Our Books Reinforce Criminal Justice Stereotypes? An Analysis of the Images in Introductory Criminal Justice Textbooks

Over the past 30 years, there has been much attention placed on the content within introductory textbooks in fields, such as education, sociology, economics, psychology, and criminal justice. Within the field of criminal justice, a surplus of information has been gathered through analysis of the text found within introductory textbooks. There has been much less emphasis, however, on the potential for stereotypical images found within the pictures of criminal justice textbooks. This study builds on the diminutive literature on the images in criminal justice textbooks. We examined the pictures in 22 introductory criminal justice textbooks over a 17-year period to determine the percentages of men, women, minorities, and other groups that comprise these pictures. We find that white males dominate the images of criminal justice personnel in these textbooks, and that minorities are more likely to be portrayed as criminals than as criminal justice employees.

The Coverage of American Indians and Alaskan Natives in Criminal Justice and Criminology Introductory Textbooks

This paper examines the coverage of American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) in the most widely read introductory criminal justice and criminology books published between 2004 and 2010. The current research extends upon Young’s (J Crim Justice Educ 1:111–116, 1990) assessment of AI/ANs in criminal justice and criminology introductory textbooks, where he found no mention of AI/ANs. The replication of Young (J Crim Justice Educ 1:111–116, 1990) is especially important because AI/ANs continue to face a wide array of social issues (i.e. substance abuse and poverty), which leads to an overrepresentation of AI/ANs in the criminal justice system. To accomplish this, a content analysis was conducted on thirty-one introductory criminal justice and criminology textbooks to determine whether AI/ANs have received more academic coverage in current textbooks. The findings reveal that introductory criminal justice and criminology textbooks still under represent AI/ANs despite experiencing crime, victimization, and justice related problems.

Images of Gender Twenty Years Later

This research is a content analysis of photographs in 23 introductory criminal justice and criminology textbooks published between 2008 and 2012, replicating the original work of Baro and Eigenberg analyzing changes of gender depictions in introductory criminal justice and criminology textbooks and adding an examination of gendered interaction patterns. Findings support women continue to be marginalized in introductory criminal justice and criminology textbooks some 20 years after the initial study while images of gendered interaction patterns are largely absent. A discussion of the findings as well the study and praxis of criminal justice and criminology are presented.

Missing the Mark: The Neglect of Stalking and Cyberstalking in Introductory Criminology Textbooks

Textbooks are an essential component of student education, often forming the basis for all information presented in a given class. Introductory texts cannot possibly cover all relevant material, but what is included speaks volumes. Given the prevalence of stalking and cyberstalking in society, this is an important issue for inclusion in introductory criminology and criminal justice classes. An analysis of 20 criminology and 12 criminal justice textbooks is done to determine what students are learning about this prevalent social problem. Specifically, we aim to evaluate whether stalking and cyberstalking are covered, determine the theories associated with the issues, and assess the textbook location in which the issue is covered. Results indicate slight coverage of stalking and cyberstalking in introductory texts.

Looking for the Law: ACJS Program Certification Standards and Introductory Criminal Justice Textbooks

Comprehending the United States system of government, its primary law sources and the decision-making process of its courts is essential foundational knowledge for criminal justice students. The ACJS Certification Standards for Baccalaureate College/University Criminal Justice Programs (2005) include Law Adjudication, with the identified related content topics of “[c]riminal law, criminal procedures, prosecution, defense, and court processes and decision-making” (p. 9), a recognition of the importance of these content areas. The ACJS recommendations are not radical ideas. Anderson, Reinsmith-Jones, and Mangels (2011) propose that the addition of legal knowledge and techniques to the traditional criminal justice methodology will provide a triangulated approach strengthening the criminal justice discipline. This suggestion is based on their recognition that “the law is the main catalyst and foundation governing both criminology and criminal justice” (p. 97). Integrating basic legal concepts into introductory courses would similarly strengthen the foundational knowledge of students in the discipline. With the ACJS standards as a framework, this study examines the coverage and depth of treatment in introductory criminal justice textbooks of concepts related to these basic categories of legal knowledge. The study has operationalized these topic areas as: the roles of the three branches of government, the separation of powers among the branches, the levels of government, the hierarchical organization of the court system between trial and appellate courts and state and federal courts and the differences between criminal and civil law, enacted law and common law and the primary sources of law.

Identity Crisis–Teaching the Concepts and History of Private Security to Introductory Criminal Justice Undergraduate Students: A Preliminary Study

This article discusses the categorical relationship between content in introductory criminal justice textbooks and the amount of actual number of jobs within each category in the United States. It is proposed that these introductory criminal justice textbooks provide a “first glimpse” for undergraduate students and their future career and educational paths that the textbooks reviewed fail to represent the field of private security as a viable or important element in the criminal justice system.

Detecting deception in field settings

PurposeThis paper aims to systematically compare the textbook‐based criminal justice and psychological literatures on detecting deception in field settings to determine the accuracy of the criminal justice literature in this area.Design/methodology/approachA total of 18 criminal justice textbooks covering detecting deception were systematically reviewed and coded. The alleged indicators of deception were then compared with the psychological literature on the valid indicators of deception.FindingsMany criminal justice textbooks on interviewing, interrogation, and criminal investigation claim that there are numerous accurate indicators of deception which can be readily used in field settings. The comparison of these claims with the research in psychology indicates that a great deal of the information found in criminal justice textbooks is erroneous. Further review indicates that in controlled studies criminal justice practitioners rarely detect deception at levels greater than chance or comparison groups of non‐practitioners. It is exceedingly difficult to detect deception in field settings without the help of technology or complicated instruments or aids.Practical implicationsMuch of the information in criminal justice textbooks on detecting deception is erroneous and may have negatively affected practitioners to the extent that they are unable to detect deception effectively. Textbooks on interviewing, interrogation, and criminal investigation should be circumspect regarding an individual's ability to detect deception in field settings. Texts should refrain from presenting deception detection as a simple and accurate science. Practitioners should be cautious when attempting to detect deception in field settings.Originality/valueThe criminal justice and psychological literatures on detecting deception have not been synthesized before. This information will be useful to criminal justice practitioners who seek to detect deception.

“Scholarly influence” and white-collar crime scholarship

This article explores many of the factors that play a role in the relative lack of scholarly influence of criminology and criminal justice professionals who focus on studying white-collar and corporate crime. The latest studies of “scholarly influence” in criminology and criminal justice journals and textbooks based on citation analyses confirm the absence of scholars who study white-collar and corporate crime. The sparse inclusion of white-collar and corporate crime topics in criminology and criminal justice curriculum in academic programs also indicate that the area is considered by many as a subfield rather than a mainstream component of academic criminology. Whether or not this status will change remains to be seen, but, on a positive note, there are a few encouraging signs that scholarly influence in the field will include more white-collar criminologists in the future.

Research Methods and Research Ethics Coverage in Criminal Justice and Criminology Textbooks*

Introductory textbooks socialize students by exposing them to core subfields within the discipline. The purpose of this paper is to understand the nature and extent of research methods and ethics coverage in introductory criminal justice and criminology textbooks. Analysis of 15 introductory criminal justice and 10 criminology textbooks suggests that while criminology textbooks do a better job of introducing students to research methods and ethics, the discussions are rather sparse and cursory. Of primary importance in this discussion is how neglecting research methods and research ethics in introductory textbooks may impact the disciplines of criminal justice and criminology. *The author wishes to thank Thomas L. Van Valey for his insightful comments on an earlier draft of this paper, as well as the anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions.

“Organized crime” and “organized crime”: Indeterminate problems of definition

Despite decades of effort, the search for a universal definition of organized crime has eluded both academics, criminal justice agencies, as well as international bodies. More than two decades ago, a content analysis of such definitional efforts by this writer (Hagan, 1983) noted that, while many writers, including those of textbooks, failed to supply explicit definitions of organized crime, some consensus was apparent. These earlier findings are explored and compared with updated content analyses of American criminology and criminal justice textbooks and organized crime textbooks. Also discussed are definitions offered by criminal justice agencies and those by international organizations. A distinction is made between “Organized Crime” groups and “organized crime,” activities by groups that are organized.

Melodramatic and consentient images in introductory criminal justice textbooks

Previous scholarly attention to introductory criminal justice textbooks observed the texts' organization, structure, and content. This study added to this literature by examining the photographs used in ten leading criminal justice textbooks when providing demographic portraits (e.g., race, gender) of alleged and convicted criminals, criminal offenses, clothing and appearances (of suspects/criminals), and the degree to which authorities confined suspects/criminals. In regard to the above, this study distinguished between consentient (relying on systematic empirical findings) and melodramatic (relying on more sensationalized news coverage) images and representative (quantitatively standard) and notorious (qualitatively distinct) crimes. Results suggested texts provided consentient images of suspect/offender race and gender, but relied on melodramatic images in disproportionate depictions of suspects/defendants charged with, or convicted of murder. Further, it was found that although notorious crimes and criminals represent qualitative rarities in the overall criminal justice system, they were depicted in 31 percent of images presented in texts.

An examination of disability issues in introductory juvenile and criminal justice textbooks

This paper examines the prevalence of disability in juvenile and adult corrections, as well as legislative and litigious actions concerning disabled individuals. The paper also includes a descriptive study of the disability‐related content included in current textbooks used to train professionals in the field of criminal justice. Twenty‐four juvenile and criminal justice textbooks were examined. Reviewers probed for content related to disability, legislation, and litigation. Inter‐reviewer reliability was high. The results of this review indicate that inadequate attention is given to disability issues, including legislation and litigation related to disability and special education, in criminal justice textbooks.

Disappearing act: The representation of corporate crime research in criminological literature

Following the labeling, conflict, and radical movements of the 1960s and 1970s and the attention these perspectives directed toward crimes committed by the powerful, it became commonplace for most criminologists to assume that corporate and white-collar crime received adequate attention in criminological and criminal justice literature. At the same time, corporate and white-collar crime researchers continued to assert that the behaviors they studied remain underrepresented in criminological literature, especially relative to the level of harm these behaviors cause. This article examines these two competing assumptions concerning the prevalence of corporate and white-collar crime literature during the later 1990s by: (1) analyzing the contents of several major criminological and criminal justice journals over a five-year time period; and (2) analyzing the coverage, placement, and integration of white-collar and corporate crime discussions in criminology and criminal justice textbooks. In addition, twenty-one Ph.D. granting criminology departments were polled to determine whether they offered regular and required courses on corporate and white-collar crime. Representativeness was determined through comparisons of the number of journal articles and the number of textbook pages published on white-collar and corporate crime indicators relative to the number of articles and pages published on several other criminological issues. Indicators of and the determination of representativeness are related to indicators of the seriousness (financial costs and level of violence) and impact of corporate and white-collar crime on society compared to the seriousness and impact of street crimes.

Aren't they all the same? A comparative analysis of introductory criminal justice textbooks

The textbooks generally available for adoption for introduction to criminal justice courses appear to be quite similar. Recently, many publishers have begun to offer cheaper and more concise editions of their main texts. The purpose of this research is to describe 16 textbooks that are likely to be used for introduction to criminal justice courses within three evaluative dimensions — depth/balance of scholarship, student reading/study aids, and teaching/pedagogical support. The analysis reveals more similarities among the textbooks than differences. Concise editions appear to have fewer citations, photographs and other visual enhancements.

Assessing jail coverage in introductory criminal justice textbooks

Despite their integral and multi-functional role within the criminal justice system, jails receive limited societal and research attention. The present study assesses the extent to which jail-related information is presented in fourteen leading introductory criminal justice texts. In general, it was found that there are 4.8 pages of prison-related information for every one page of jail coverage, and that roughly 72% of all jail-related information is found within the corrections sections of introductory criminal justice texts. Suggestions regarding future directions for authors of these texts are offered.

Recent changes in the most-cited scholars in criminal justice textbooks

This article reports the thirty-one most-cited scholars in twenty-three introductory criminal justice textbooks published from 1994 to 1998, along with the most-cited works of selected most-cited scholars. Comparisons over time in the citation patterns in criminal justice and criminology textbooks and in leading American criminal justice journals show considerable differences among the most-cited scholars. Fluctuations in the lists of the most-cited scholars over time justify additional longitudinal studies of citation patterns in criminal justice and criminology textbooks and journals.

RED-PENCILED: THE NEGLECT OF CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES IN INTRODUCTORY CRIMINAL JUSTICE TEXTBOOKS

ABSTRACT Several commentators have complained that critical criminology is neglected in mainstream publications in criminology and criminal justice. We examined this criticism through an empirical analysis of the coverage of critical criminology in 27 introductory criminal justice textbooks published from 1990 to 1999. Our data show that criminal justice textbooks devoted less coverage to critical perspectives than recent introductory criminology textbooks. The theoretical orientations of criminal justice textbooks (critical or mainstream) strongly affected the extent of coverage in the books. Among the areas associated with critical criminology, the textbooks devoted the most attention to peacemaking topics and the relationship between class, race, and/or gender oppression and criminal behavior and criminal justice practice; anarchist criminology, critical feminism, left realism, and postmodern/constitutive criminology received little or no attention. Our analysis indicates that textbook authors recognized that class, race, and gender inequalities exist in the justice system, but largely ignored the theoretical explanations for these problems.