Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This exploratory case study measured the Missouri Secondary Criminal Justice Program instructors' perception on the impact of Missouri technical standards, the Industry Recognized Credential/Technical Skills Assessment (IRC/TSA), Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), individual cumulative career experience, and advisory boards on their curricula. As a local autonomy state, Missouri has no statutorily mandated curricula to guide instructors. Six secondary criminal justice instructors agreed to be interviewed on their perspectives regarding the factors that impact curricula. The research found that instructor experience had the most substantial impact on curricula. The instructors used the technical standards as a scope and sequence for their curricula, ensuring they did not neglect course material. CTSOs were meaningful for the curricula if an instructor or career center recognized them as such. The IRC/TSA's written portion was a source of frustration for the participants, but they appeared to find some value in the performance part of the assessment. The research revealed that the aim of preparing students for employment in law enforcement is substantially impacted by what is taught in criminal justice classes.

Year manuscript completed

2022

Year degree awarded

2022

Author's Keywords

criminal justice, CTSO, curricula, IRC/TSA, secondary

Dissertation Committee Chair

James Oren Barnes

Committee Chair

Katy Hancock

Committee Member

Teresa Clark

Committee Member

Phillip Witt

Document Type

Dissertation

Download

Share

COinS