Teaching criminal justice through the social inquiry method

Alternative teaching methods are becoming increasingly popular among college teachers. Lecturing does not always provide the best approach to learning. Alternative methods exist, which involve students in active learning. The social inquiry method of teaching is one way of seeking change in the classroom pedagogy. This method employs interactive stages of inquiry, examination, and conclusion, and provides the motivation often missing with less active teaching styles. In this paper we introduce the applicability of the social inquiry method to criminal justice classrooms.