Criminology Students’ Perceptions of Police Use of Force and Criminal Justice Reforms: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

This study examined the challenges criminology students face in learning about police use of force and criminal justice reforms using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Grounded in Transformative Learning Theory (Mezirow, 1991) and Procedural Justice Theory (Tyler, 2006), the study explored how students interpret legal ambiguity, negotiate moral and ethical tensions, and make sense of accountability within the justice system. Eighteen Bachelor of Science in Criminology students from six campuses of Isabela State University were purposively selected based on their exposure to policing and justice-related coursework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit their lived experiences, and data were analyzed through Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis within an IPA framework. Four major themes emerged. First, unclear legal standards and confusing concepts showed how students struggled to grasp abstract doctrines such as reasonable force and proportionality without experiential grounding. Second, the emotional and cognitive toll of justice education highlighted the psychological strain of confronting moral contradictions, systemic inequality, and politically influenced reforms. Third, eroding trust and perceived absence of accountability revealed students’ skepticism toward institutional transparency and how legal ambiguity weakens confidence in reform efforts. Fourth, the disconnect between classroom learning and real-world practice underscored students’ difficulties reconciling theoretical instruction with inconsistent implementation in field contexts. These findings demonstrate the need for curriculum enhancements that promote applied understanding of legal concepts, integrate ethics and reflective learning, and strengthen simulation-based training. The study provides evidence-based insights for designing a context-responsive policy and instructional framework that better equips future criminology professionals to practice ethically and accountably.