Criminal Justice Education for the Next Decade: Geospatial Technologies in the Curriculum

• In Event: Advances in Teaching Methods 1. Critical and Novel Perspectives

Abstract

Traditional criminal justice curriculum focuses on content related to law enforcement, corrections, criminal investigation, criminal law, and criminal procedure. In addition to historical and contemporary knowledge within these topical areas, there is a growing need for criminal justice professionals with knowledge and training in deploying geospatial technologies and spatial analytics. The need for new approaches, in the classroom and profession, is also motivated by the increasing complexity of crime data analysis, investigation, monitoring, and response. Within the academic sphere, it is essential that we offer future criminal justice professionals interdisciplinary instruction on cutting-edge programs and responses. The Department of Criminal Justice and the Department of Geography and Planning at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are addressing this through interdisciplinary specialized undergraduate and graduate GIS courses, professional certificates, minors, and research/project experience involving geospatial technologies and analytics. This includes courses for criminal justice students infused with GIS tools and data analytics, student research using GIS tools and spatial analysis and visualization, field data collection, cloud-based mapping, cutting edge GIS modules for urban planning, introduction of new drone, image analysis, and machine learning tools into the classroom and research, and integrated curriculum related to disaster planning and geospatial intelligence. In addition to providing various applied regional, national, and international course-based and research examples, this paper also reviews the requirements, success, and challenges of these changes to a traditional criminal justice curriculum.

Authors

• Mary Brewster, West Chester University

• Gary W Coutu, West Chester