Understanding cultural competency among criminal justice students

Abstract Cultural competence is essential to building effective practitioners in the criminal justice field. However, there is limited research on this issue. Using a qualitative methodology, this study examined the perceptions of cultural competency among 24 students majoring in criminal justice at a Midwestern university. They ranged in age from 20 to 22, and most participants identified as white women. Four focus groups were conducted, during which students reported that coursework helped them develop cultural competency in the components of awareness, knowledge, and skills. Implications for the criminal justice curriculum and limitations of the study were discussed.