Students characteristics, Pre-College, College, and Neighborhood Factors as predictors of Majoring in Criminal Justice and traditional social sciences majors

• In Event: Examining Undergraduate and Graduate Education in Criminal Justice

Abstract

In this study, we seek to understand temporal and spatial trends in the number of CRJ majors in the context of other social science disciplines. In particular, we examine if neighborhood's level of crime, neighborhood perception of police, impacts students decision to major in CRJ and Criminology and other social sciences. Relative to its social science counterparts, CRJ is a newer academic discipline, but despite its brief history it has attracted a growing number of students. Evidence of if the increasing numbers in degrees offered and tenured-track lines exists, but little we know of the profile of the CRJ student.

Authors

• David Jonathan Topel, The Graduate Center, John Jay College / CUNY

• Joel A Capellan, Rowan University