The Criminal Justice Distance Learning Consortium @ Criminal Justice Careers | Schools


The Criminal Justice Distance Learning Consortium CJC Staff

The Criminal Justice Distance Learning Consortium (CJDLC) has as its mission the support of distance education in criminal justice and criminology. To further that goal, the Criminal Justice Distance Learning Consortium provides support within the limits of its resources to colleges, universities, training academies, and other programs and institutions seeking to demonstrate or utilize distance learning in criminal justice and criminology instruction. CJDLC is working to develop model curricula for Web-based distance learning in criminal justice; to establish accreditation standards in the field; and to build model electronic classrooms. CJDLC also provides group and individualized training to help interested parties learn how to effectively use the Web in criminal justice instruction. Finally, CJDLC develops Web sites for criminal justice agencies, trainers, and schools.

Accreditation Guidelines

The Accreditation Guidelines employed by the Criminal Justice Distance Learning Consortium (CJDLC) in the evaluation of Web-based criminology- and criminal justice-related distance learning programs (hereinafter "programs") and Web-based criminology- and criminal justice-related courses (hereinafter "courses") build upon the work done by the Southern Regional Electronic Campus (SREC), the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (see, especially, ACJS: Minimum Standards for Criminal Justice Education -- Guidelines for College and University-Level Programs), and regional academic accrediting bodies such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Western Association of Colleges and Schools. CJDLC Guidelines supplement the work of those groups without duplicating it -- and it is assumed that institutions applying for accreditation under these guidelines have already met the quality control standards of the appropriate local and regional accrediting agencies.

CJDLC Guidelines highlight effective delivery systems for Web-based criminal justice distance learning, and do not dictate curriculum content, the content of individual courses, or the structure of the program being offered. The Guidelines also mandate quality administrative support for criminology and criminal justice distance learning programs, and help ensure the provision of adequate resources to faculty members involved in such programs.

The Consortium believes that programs and courses accredited under its Guidelines offer quality learning opportunities to students involved in Web-based criminology- and criminal justice-related distance learning. It is important to recognize, however, that quality control is ultimately the responsibility of the offering institution.

CJDLC guidelines apply to two- and four-year institutions of higher education offering Web-based criminal justice- and criminology-related programs, certificates, or for-credit courses. Criminal justice, correctional, law enforcement, and other training academies and proprietary criminal justice programs and course offerings may also be eligible to receive accreditation under these guidelines. CJDLC Guidelines are generally applicable to universities, colleges, schools, training academies and proprietary programs which are international in scope, or that are offered internationally, which use Web-based instruction in support of criminal justice degree or certificate programs, and for-credit criminal justice- and criminology-related courses. Not-for-credit course offerings are not intended to be evaluated under these guidelines.
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