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Teaching Controversial Issues in Criminal Justice
STRATEGIES THAT WORK
Strategies for Leading Classroom Conversations on Controversial Topics
By Connie M. Koski, assistant professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, former police officer, and co-author of Introduction to Policing, Fifth Edition
Controversial issues are no stranger to the criminal justice classroom, and real-world events continuously remind us of the importance of having these discussions with our students, often in real-time.
For example, as we begin the spring 2023 semester, the disturbing body camera footage of five Memphis, TN police officers committing acts of brutal and excessive force against Tyre Nichols, a 29-year old Black man, father, FedEx driver, and amateur photographer, who cried out for his mother during the incident. The nation has viewed the video released in late January 2023 in shock and horror (though perhaps not complete disbelief) as many did following the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis, and countless other acts of excessive force that came before that. The case has reignited calls for police reform, and also rekindled the pain of racial trauma for many across the country.
How to lead impactful classroom conversations
As professors, instructors, graduate assistants, and students begin their spring semester, it is seemingly impossible to avoid having some form of discussion in the criminal justice classroom about this incident, but how might one lead a truly educational discussion on such a controversial and devastating event?
Be aware of competing perspectives
When preparing to facilitate such a discussion, an instructor must not only inform themselves of the details surrounding such a high-profile incident, but also of the competing perspectives they may encounter in the classroom. For instance, in the case of Mr. Nichols, we know that the officers have been fired and charged with crimes. While this may satisfy some, there are likely still renewed calls for stricter police (and broader criminal justice system) reforms. Conversely, politicians such as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) claim that policing is not getting the best applicants, specifically due to the defund the police movement and overall societal attack on law enforcement as a profession, calling the Nichols incident one that no law or modicum of reform could fix (Sforza, 2023).
Account for strong feelings on both sides
One must also be prepared to mediate such a conversation with the strong likelihood that current criminal justice practitioners may also be present in the classroom and have strong feelings on one side or the other.
Investigate different teaching strategies
Lastly, I would also argue that instructors must need to invest some time in equipping themselves with some teaching strategies that can serve as tools in the proverbial “teaching toolbelt” and help prepare them for whatever form of mixed student audience they may encounter.
Although it may initially appear dated, the strategies laid out by Paine and Gainey (2000) offer sage advice in the facilitation of classroom discussions of a challenging nature. Their discussion of the following approaches are coupled with a discussion of techniques to prevent or cool down heated discussions:
- The due process approach (equal amount of attention given to both sides)
- The peacemaking approach (maintaining peace without resolving the conflict)
- The academic controversy approach (actually coming to an agreement on differences)
- The devil’s advocate approach (purposefully challenging students’ beliefs to stimulate discussion)
- The avoidance approach (avoiding the discussion entirely, for any reason whatsoever)
A hybrid of the due process and peacemaking approaches was utilized in one course studying police shootings (an arguably controversial topic) with relatively strong success (Ferrandino, 2020). While there are other models out there, there are common threads across many of these strategies and thus, are worth exploring before these issues arise in the classroom and, as instructors, you find yourselves unsure as to how best to proceed. Each of the techniques hold merit and are worthy of further reading and exploration to find one or some that might best fit your current student body.
It is also important to keep in mind that there truly is no “one size fits all” approach; rather, as Ferrandino (2020) noted, a multi-perspective approach may be what is most appropriate in your classroom.
Goal: Achieving a balanced classroom experience
Modern teaching at the college level is challenging in and of itself. Student disengagement, student recruitment and retention, and a myriad of other factors continually challenge faculty, staff, and administrators alike. However, criminal justice is a subject area that is even more challenging given the need to discuss power, authority, legitimacy, trust and reform in an ongoing fashion. Instructors must be prepared in ways that, arguably, exceed the strategies and techniques necessary for teaching on other disciplines. The time it takes to prepare for a balanced classroom experience goes beyond simply teaching from the textbook and facing these challenges with tools that can assist in doing so. Happy teaching!
References / Additional Reading
Ferrandino, Joseph Alexander. “Reflecting on a Multi-Perspective Approach to Teaching and Learning about Police Shootings.” Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 20, no. 3 (December 2020): 81–96. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v20i3.26920.
Payne, Brian K., and Randy R. Gainey. “Developing and Dealing with Controversial Issues in Criminal Justice Courses.” Journal of Criminal Justice Education 11, no. 2 (2000): 313–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511250000084941.
Sforza, Lauren. “Jordan Says There Are Not Enough 'Good People' Applying to Be Police Officers.” The Hill. Nexstar Media Group, Inc., January 29, 2023. https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/3835092-jordan-says-there-are-not-enough-good-people-applying-to-be-police-officers/.
Teach an Introductory Criminal Justice course? Connie M. Koski’s strategies pair well with her new title:
