Teaching Introduction to Criminal Justice

Teaching Introduction to Criminal Justice provides instructors with evidence-based and innovative strategies for teaching introductory criminal justice courses. The text emphasizes the importance of introductory criminal justice courses in providing a strong educational foundation for criminal justice and criminology majors. It offers instructors teaching tools and strategies to engage students and help them learn a wide range of content efficiently and effectively.

The book begins with discussions about curriculum planning, student-centered pedagogy, and selecting effective course materials. Subsequent chapters address creating a course syllabus that clearly states course goals, learning objectives, and course policies, as well as how to approach the first day of class and set the tone for the term. The book offers strategies for teaching large classes, teaching hybrid or online classes, and implementing innovative teaching and learning methods, including problem-based, collaborative, and experiential learning. It concludes with an overview of various approaches to student assessment, including backward design, formative and summative assessments, and high- and low-stakes assessments.

Featuring practical advice and innovative teaching approaches, Teaching Introduction to Criminal Justice is an effective resource for novice and tenured instructors alike.

Laura E. Agnich is an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Georgia Southern University. She earned her doctorate degree in sociology at Virginia Tech. Dr. Agnich has served on the board of the Southern Criminal Justice Association and the editorial board for Sociological Spectrum. Her research focuses on school violence, including bullying, school shootings, and sexual assault and intimate partner violence among college students. Her work has been published in journals including Journal of School Violence, Violence against Women, Violence and Gender, Deviant Behavior, and Criminal Justice Review.

Catherine D. Marcum, Ph.D., graduated from Indiana University in Pennsylvania in 2008 with a Ph.D. in criminology. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed journals articles and authored and/or edited over 10 books. Her areas of expertise include cybercrime offending and victimization, correctional issues, and sexual victimization. She is currently the assistant chair of her department, and the editor of Corrections: Policy, Practice, and Research.