ABSTRACT
Debate has long been recognized as an important part of education. Jeffrey Parcher, in The Value of Debate argued that "Debate is a uniquely beneficial educational tool in part because of the value of argumentation theory itself. A debate was held between the Harvard University debate team and, wait for it, the Eastern New York Correctional Inmate team. In criminology debates can ensure that theoretical perspectives remain sharp, informed, and up-to-date. Healthy disagreement ensures that advocates of specific perspectives refine their logic, continually search for empirical support, and, importantly, update their views when new information is available. Criminology is more vibrant, informative, and useful when scholars are engaged in debates. It has been clear that debates between scholars in criminology are not new or isolated phenomena. In fact, from the field's very inception, debates have gripped the study of crime and justice. This chapter presents some closing thoughts on the concepts covered in the preceding chapters of this book.
