Representation Matters: Benchmarking Black Faculty in Criminology & Criminal Justice Graduate Programs

• In Event: Area XII. Diversity and Inclusion - Higher Education

Abstract

Having a diverse faculty adds to the many benefits of higher education (Stout et al., 2018). Moreover, having more Black Criminal Justice (CJ) actors may prove beneficial to understanding the issues surrounding overrepresentation of Black people in the United States CJ system (Greene, Gabbidon, & Wilson, 2018). The current sudy identifies the total number of Black faculty currently serving in tenure-track positions to understand the state of Black faculty representation. To do so, the current study utilized both convenience sampling and observational data. Firstly, data was sourced.from the Association of Doctoral Programs in Criminology and Criminal Justice (ADPCCJ) annual report in combination with the United States News & World Report’s Best Criminology Programs list. Secondly, the current study observed the departmental websites of 40 Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJ) graduate programs. Data was compared from the original date this study began (2020) to present day. The current study discusses recommendations aimed at increasing the number of Black scholars and faculty members across CCJ programs.

Authors

• Maisha Cooper, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Howard Henderson, Texas Southern University