Motivation to Teach Social Action:
This is exactly what I want to do with this newly created graduate course. In fact, I am excited about the ability for graduate students to actively and meaningfully contribute to social action initiatives at the local and state level.
Course Description:
This course examines how social programs and public policies related to crime and public safety are designed, implemented, and evaluated using evidence-based approaches. Emphasis is placed on evaluation methods, causal reasoning, and the use of data in policy analysis, as well as the ethical considerations involved in program design, evaluation, and implementation. Topics include equity, unintended consequences, responsible data use, and the ethical implications of evidence-based policymaking. The course prepares students to critically evaluate crime and justice related programs and policies and to apply evidence responsibly in research, practice, and decision-making contexts.
Course Learning Outcomes
- Evaluate the ethical dimensions of program design, focusing on equity, responsible implementation, and the mitigation of unintended consequences.
- Examine evaluation methodologies used to measure the effectiveness, outcomes, and long-term impact of social programs.
- Analyze how empirical evidence is used to develop, refine, and justify public safety policies in professional contexts.
- Assess how institutional structures and power dynamics both influence and are influenced by the implementation of crime and justice policies.
Taught By:
Steven Keener
Assistant Professor of Criminology and Director of the Center for Crime, Equity, and Justice
Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology
Christopher Newport University
Read profile here.