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Revisiting security administration in the classroom: A decade later

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Abstract

Gabbidon examined perceptions of students in a security administration class, asking reasons for taking the course, knowledge regarding the security field, career objectives and whether they considered working in the security field. He later asked whether their interest in working in the security field had decreased, increased or remained the same; whether their respect for the field decreased, increased or remained the same; and how they would rate the course in comparison to other criminal justice courses they had taken. This research was modified and replicated approximately 10 years later to determine differences in perceptions of security administration by contemporary criminal justice students. A small percentage (4 per cent) of the respondents reported their career objective was private security. Three in four (76 per cent) considered working in security, and most (93 per cent) reported an appreciable increase in respect for the security profession. A majority (80 per cent) rated the course as more interesting than other criminal justice courses they had taken. This article was developed from a paper presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

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Correspondence to Carter F Smith.

Appendix

Appendix

Security administration course survey

Why did you take this course?

○ required by major/minor

○ elective for major/minor

○ to learn about security

○ thought it would be interesting

Describe your knowledge at the beginning of this course regarding the security field.

○ very familiar

○ somewhat familiar

○ not very familiar

○ not at all familiar

What is your career objective?

○ Police

○ Courts/Law

○ Corrections

○ Homeland Security

○ Private Security

○ Other ____

Have you ever considered working in the security field? (Yes or No)

If you have not considered working in the security field, please identify the primary reason why. Please list the reasons, starting with the primary reason

My knowledge of private security has increased because of this course. (Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree)

My respect for the security field has increased because of this course (Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree)

This course was more interesting than other criminal justice courses I have taken. (Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree)

What is your Age?

What is your Gender?

What is your Marital Status? (multiple answers possible) If more than one choice fits, you may make multiple choices

□ Single

□ Married

□ Co-habiting

□ Separated

□ Divorced

□ Widowed

□ Other

What is your Ethnicity? (multiple answers possible) If more than one choice fits, you may make multiple choices

□ White/Caucasian

□ Black/African American

□ Hispanic

□ Asian

□ Native American

□ Latino/a

□ Other

What is your Educational Level?

○ Freshman

○ Sophomore

○ Junior

○ Senior

What is your Major?

What is your Minor?

Prior to attending college, what fields did you have work experience in?

Prior to attending college, what fields did you have interest in?

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Smith, C., Choo, T. Revisiting security administration in the classroom: A decade later. Secur J 29, 198–212 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1057/sj.2013.7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/sj.2013.7

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