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33 J. Crim. Just. Educ. 1 (2022)

handle is hein.journals/jcrimjed33 and id is 1 raw text is: JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION 2022, VOL. 33, NO. 1, 1-22 rZ Routledge https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2021.1946113 Taylor & Francis Group The Reimaging of Criminal Justice Education: A Preliminary Study of Students' Classroom Experiences and Perceptions of Racial Justice Chien-Juh Gu ; and Charles Crawford @ Department of Sociology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY Race-related issues in criminal justice are often challenging topics Received 7 March 2021 to discuss in the classroom because of their sensitivity and com- Accepted 16 June 2021 plexity. The growing political polarization in the American public and its impact on college students has made the challenges more KEYWORDS daunting in higher education. Using an online survey of criminal Criminal justice education; justice students, this study seeks to understand racial differences classroom experience; racial Justicejustice; inclusivity; in students' classroom experiences and perceptions of racial just higher education ice. Findings suggest that students of color are significantly more likely than their White peers to experience differential treatment in the classroom, express professors' insensitivity to race-related issues, and indicate stereotypes of people of color in required readings. Non-White students are also more likely than White stu- dents to point out Blacks' vulnerability in racial profiling and crim- inal punishment. We discuss the implications of these findings and provide suggestions for improving criminal justice education. Introduction In criminal justice education, race-related issues are difficult subjects to discuss in the classroom because of their sensitivity and complexity, especially matters concerning police shootings, racial profiling, and mass incarcerations of African Americans. Law enforce- ment's involvement in deporting undocumented immigrants constitutes another heated topic when discussing the conflict between laws and humanity. Without instructors' cau- tion and preparation, heated debates in class could potentially turn into emotionally charged confrontations. Teaching these topics has become even more challenging in recent years as a result of an increasingly divisive U.S. society since the 2016 presidential election. College students, including CJ majors, may hold more differentiated opinions about racial justice than in the past because of the influences of the larger societal con- texts and their life experiences. Criminal justice educators must be aware of the current trends in society and changing characteristics among our students in order to adjust our pedagogical approaches accordingly. Such awareness and mindful preparation can help CONTACT Chien-Juh Gu chien-juh.gu@wmich.edu Western Michigan University, 1903 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5257. C 2021 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences

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