Abstract
This paper reports on the current status of police and security education in Australian universities and technical colleges. The study was undertaken in the context of calls for greater professionalisation of policing and security along with a variety of conduct scandals that have driven reform agendas for both sectors. The study found that police studies had a significant profile in universities with a wide range of courses available, but virtually no profile in technical and further education (TAFE) colleges. Conversely, protective security offerings were proportionately more prominent in the TAFE sector than in universities. Courses in information and communication technology security were more common across universities and TAFE. The research also found that, of the 39 Australian universities, 9 have research centres related generally to policing and security. These also appeared to favour policing over security. We argue that these findings should be of concern, given the fact that private and public sector security services have eclipsed police, in numbers at least, in many jurisdictions. Security should, we argue, be counted as an equal partner with police in crime prevention services. In addition, we argue that those engaged in security management should be given greater opportunities for study at the university level. Moreover, security studies should have an expanded research focus.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Australian Education Network (2008a). List of universities in Australia. http://www.australian-universities.com/list/. Accessed 1 December 2008.
Australian Education Network (2008b) TAFE Australia. http://tafe-australia.org/. Accessed 1 December 2008.
Baro, A., & Burlingame, D. (1999). Law enforcement and higher education: is there an impasse? Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 10(4), 57–73.
Borodzicz, E. P., & Gibson, S. D. (2006). Corporate security education: towards meeting the challenge. Security Journal, 19, 180–195.
Button, M. (2008). Doing security. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Button, M., & George, B. (2006). Regulation of private security: models for analysis. In M. Gill (Ed.), The handbook of security (pp. 563–585). Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan.
Carter, D. L., Sapp, A. D., & Stephens, D. W. (1989). The state of police education: policy direction for the 21st century. Washington DC: Police Executive Research Forum.
Clarke, R. (1997). Situational crime prevention: successful case studies. Guilderland, NY: Harrow and Heston.
CoESS. (2008). Private security and its role in European security. Paris: Confederation of European Security services.
Fitzgerald, G. (1989). Commission of inquiry into possible illegal activities and associated police misconduct. Brisbane: Government Printer.
Giever, D. (2007). Security education—past, present and future. Security Journal, 20(1), 23–25.
Johnston, L. (1992). The rebirth of private policing. London: Routledge.
Kennedy, O. (2004). Royal commission into whether there has been corrupt or criminal conduct by any Western Australian police officer. Perth: Government Printer.
Kratcoski, P., & Das, D. (2007). Eds. Police education and training in a global society. Lanham: Lexington Books
Law Commission of Canada. (2002). In Search of security: the roles of public police and private agencies (author George Rigakos). Ottawa: Government of Canada.
Pastor, J. (2003). The privatization of police in America. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company.
Paoline, E., & Terrill, W. (2007). Police education, experience, and the use of force. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34(2), 179–196.
Prenzler, T., & Sarre, R. (2007). Private police: partners or rivals? In M. Mitchell & J. Casey (Eds.), Police management and leadership in Australia (pp. 50–60). Sydney: Federation.
Prenzler, T., & Sarre, R. (2008). Protective security in Australia: scandal, media images and reform. Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, 3(2), 23–37.
Prenzler, T., Earle, K., & Sarre, R. (2009). Private security in Australia: trends and key characteristics. Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice, no. 374. http://apo.org.au/node/17822
Sarre, R., & Prenzler, T. (2009). The law of private security in Australia (2nd edn). Sydney: Law Book.
Trofymowych, D. (2007/2008). Police education past and present: perceptions of Australian police managers and academics. Flinders Journal of Law Reform, 10, 419–433.
Van Dijk, J. (2008). The world of crime. Los Angeles: SAGE.
van Steden, R., & Sarre, R. (2007). The growth of private security: trends in the European Union. Security Journal, 20(4), 222–235.
Wimshurst, K., & Ransley, J. (2007). Policing education and the university sector: contrasting models from the Australian experience. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 18(1), 106–122.
Wood, J. (1997). Royal commission into the New South Wales police service: final report. Sydney: NSW Government Printer.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prenzler, T., Martin, K. & Sarre, R. Tertiary Education in Security and Policing in Australia. Asian Criminology 5, 1–10 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-009-9074-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-009-9074-7