Critical Pedagogy in Criminal Justice Higher Education: A Liberative Paradigm

<p>The traditional model of education focuses on the preservation of the status quo that prevents students from the ability to think critically about their world. This has the potential to produce constraints as students not only become criminal justice practitioners, but also engaged members of society. The traditional model is particularly problematic in the criminal justice field due to the potential harms that can result. In an effort to contest the traditional model of education, a number of scholars including Paulo Freire and Henry Giroux advocate for a critical pedagogical model that liberates individuals from oppressive constraints in the education system. Research pertaining to the use of critical pedagogy has traditionally focused on the broad spectrum of the education system. Critical pedagogical research in specific fields, such as criminal justice, is severely limited. Barton et. al. (2010) are the sole scholars who have examined critical pedagogy and its impact on criminal justice higher education. Consequently, this paper examines the utilization of critical pedagogy in criminal justice education that provides avenues that foster autonomous thinking as students transform their world. Furthermore, this paper offers ways critical pedagogical practices can be implemented in criminal justice education. The utilization of critical pedagogy in criminal justice education enables employees to autonomously think and discontinue the perpetuation of a top-down, hierarchical structure that is present in the field of criminal justice. Critical practices in criminal justice can help liberate individuals from oppressive constraints, resulting in a more socially just world. </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Justice Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

Eastern Kentucky University

Year

2012

Author dc:creator

• Kershaw, Alyson

• criminal justice education
• critical pedagogy
• higher education
• liberative model of eduction
• Paulo Freire
• traditional model of education
• Criminology and Criminal Justice

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2012 Alyson Kershaw

Repository record dc:identifier

https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/81

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:encompass.eku.edu:etd-1080