“Getting White Boys to Get Their Heads out of Their Asses”: Instructor Accounts of Teaching a Race and Crime Course

AbstractForty-eight instructors of Race and Crime courses were surveyed about: (1) course evaluation comments; (2) their greatest challenge teaching the course; and (3) what they enjoyed most about teaching the course. Comments on Race and Crime course evaluations involved student resistance in many cases, addressed components of the course that stood out (both good and bad), expressed seeing value in taking the course, and identified content as traumatic or depressing. Participants’ greatest challenges included displays of student resistance toward the content or instructor, building their toolbox by acquiring the skills necessary to prepare and deliver the course, experiencing internal struggles as class instructor, and dealing with external influences on the classroom. Finally, participants noted that the aspects of teaching a Race and Crime course which they enjoyed most consisted of providing students with personal opportunities for growth and change, as well as experiencing little victories and celebrations.Keywords: Racerace and crimediversityteachingcriminal justice education Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsMaisha N. CooperMaisha N. Cooper, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research interests include juvenile justice and race and crime. Her recent work has appeared in Justice Quarterly and Victims & Offenders.Carlene Y BarnabyCarlene Y Barnaby, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences, Criminal Justice Program at the Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, NY. Her research interests include race & crime, immigration, wrongful conviction and criminal justice education. Her recent work has appeared in the Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice and Crime & Delinquency.Alexander H. UpdegroveAlexander H. Updegrove, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of North Texas. His research interests include racialization and racism in the criminal legal system, public opinion, and injustice. His recent work has appeared in Race and Justice, Crime & Delinquency, and the University of Massachusetts Law Review.Ahram ChoAhram Cho, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at New Mexico State University. Her research focuses on correctional experiences and outcomes, gen- der, crime, and justice, and quantitative methods. Her recent work has appeared in Crime & Delinquency and Feminist Criminology.Andrekus DixonAndrekus Dixon, is a Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Program Director in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of North Texas. He received his Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Texas. His research interest includes diversity issues, race and crime, victimology and capital punishment.