Taking Stock: A Scoping Review of Research in Criminal Justice Education

Abstract

The present study presents a scoping review of research on teaching and learning criminal justice, as it appeared in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education from 2016-2022. The process serves to take stock of the advancements of the field, clarify the need for a shared pedagogical lexicon, identify critical gaps in research and practice, and suggest foundations for future research and practice, including the articulation of a signature pedagogy or pedagogies.

Keywords:

• scoping review
• experiential learning
• signature pedagogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, The Pennsylvania State University.

Notes on contributors

Sandra L. Trappen

Sandra L. Trappen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Penn State's Greater Allegheny Campus. Her research focuses on social problems connected to deindustrialization and post conflict society, which includes work on the sociology of violence and injury, trauma informed approaches to law enforcement, and drug use/misuse. Address inquiries to [email protected].

Laura Cruz

Laura Cruz is an Associate Research Professor of Teaching & Learning Scholarship with the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence at Penn State's University Park campus. Prior to coming to Penn State, she served as the director of two centers for teaching and learning and as a tenured professor of economic history. Her current research focuses on organizational change in higher education, innovative approaches to pedagogy, and creative problem solving.