Foundations of criminal justice theory

Introduction Criminal justice has been developing as an academic field since the appearance of several influential studies and the inception of its first doctoral program in the 1960s at the University at Albany. There are now about three dozen programs in the United States and Canada. As the field continues to grow, there is a need to monitor its evolution and identify any shortcomings, inconsistencies, or other constraints that might inhibit its development. We argue that the academic study of criminal justice must overcome a major hurdle that will otherwise limit its growth and vitality: There is no common understanding or teaching of theory. Instead, academic programs consist of scattergun approaches to study, with little effort toward unity and coherence beyond very basic organizational divisions such as police, courts, and corrections.