THE RAPID GROWTH OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION HAS RESULTED IN A VARIETY OF BOTH PROGRAM TYPES AND AREAS OF STUDY. IN 1960, ONLY 2 PERCENT OF INSTITUTIONS HAD DEGREE PROGRAMS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE; BY 1974, THE FIGURE ROSE TO 21.7 PERCENT. THE PERCENTAGE OF 2-YEAR COLLEGES WITH SUCH PROGRAMS INCREASED FROM 4.2 TO 35.1 DURING THE SAME PERIOD. BASICALLY THESE PROGRAMS COVER CRIMINOLOGY AND SOCIAL DEVIANCE; LAW ENFORCEMENT, POLICE SCIENCE AND POLICE ADMINISTRATION; AND CORRECTIONS AND CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATION. TOWARD THE 1970'S, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND THE SYSTEM WAS ADDED AS A SUBJECT AREA. THE CURRICULUMS ARE BASICALLY TECHNICAL, PROFESSIONAL, THEORETICAL, OR A COMBINATION OF THESE THREE TYPES. COURSES VARY BETWEEN FACT-ORIENTED AND ISSUE-ORIENTED. PROGRAMS APPEAR TO BE MOVING TOWARD A TOTAL-SYSTEM APPROACH WITH BOTH A SOCIAL SCIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL EMPHASIS. A SUBSYSTEM TRACT IS NEEDED FOR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS AS ENTRY-LEVEL PRACTITIONERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES. THESE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS SHOULD EMPHASIZE LIBERAL EDUCATION, A SYSTEM-WIDE THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE, AND DEVELOPMENT OF ANALYTICAL SKILLS AND OCCUPATIONALLY-RELATED METHODOLOGIES. AT THE MASTER'S LEVEL, THEORETICAL AND PROFESSIONAL ROLE PROGRAMS (MANAGEMENT, PLANNING, EDUCATION, CRIMINALISTICS, COUNSELING, ETC.) SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED. THE FUTURE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION IS UNCERTAIN. WHEN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM IS DISCONTINUED OR REDUCED, THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS WILL PROBABLY DECLINE. HOWEVER, THE VALUE OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR PRACTITIONERS IS TOO WELL ESTABLISHED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY INFLUENCED. MANY PRACTITIONERS BELIEVE THE GREATEST THREATS TO HIGHER EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS ARE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT THAT EMPLOYMENT CRITERIA MUST HAVE A PROVEN RELATION TO JOB PERFORMANCE. IF, HOWEVER, GRADUATES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS PROVE MORE EFFECTIVE, THESE THREATS WILL HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS DO NOT PRODUCE SUCH GRADUATES, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO DEFEND THEIR CONTINUED EXISTENCE.