Pursuant to Republic Act No. 6506 œAn Act Creating the Board of Examiners for Criminologists now Board of Criminology in the Philippines and for Other Purposes  and Section 5, Paragraph (n) of Presidential Decree No. 223 as embodied in Article X, Section 6 of the Rules and Regulations governing the Regulation and Practice of Professionals, as amended, the Board hereby adopts the following Guidelines for Continuing Professional Education/Accreditation Program for Registered Criminologists in the Philippines.

 

Guidelines For Continuing Professional Education Program For Registered Criminologists

I
General

A. Continuing Professional Education for registered Criminologists is defined as education beyond the basic professional subjects for the degree of BS in Criminology.  It provides intellectual stimulation that contributes to professional competence, progressively stimulates research on methodologies and systems, opens new horizons relative to law enforcement professionalism and crime prevention and prevents professional stagnation.

B. It is an extension of the field of knowledge of the licensee preparatory to the assumption of a position of greater professional responsibility, and is related to any of the specific fields of criminology education, law enforcement administration, criminal/intelligence investigation, criminalistics, correctional administration, probation and criminal research.

C. Certification is the system of accrediting the Registered Criminologist who has undertaken or participated in a duly approved accredited program of activity.

D. Continuing Professional Education consists of structured learning activities expressed in credit hours within a specified period for the purpose of upgrading the knowledge, skill and proficiency of the Registered Criminologist to meet professional standards required by courts and the expectation of the public.

E. Accreditation is the systematized evaluation and awarding of credits earned as a condition for the renewal of the Identification Card as Registered Criminologist with the Professional Regulation Commission.

II
Purpose

A. The Continuing Professional Education for Registered Criminologists is designed to contribute directly to the professional competence, technical skill and scientific knowledge of a licensed practitioner as a requisite for the renewal of the Professional Identification Card.

B. Its goal is for the enhancement and upgrading of scientific, administrative and technical knowledge, skill and proficiency of the highest degree and integrity to insure optimum service and conduct through tangible evidence of self-improvement characterizing a strong, dynamic and militant professional group of Criminologists.

C  The Continuing Professional Education is directed to contribute significantly to the advancement of the profession and the effective discharge of social responsibility and high quality of service by promoting professional interdisciplinary collaboration and interaction among members, geared towards meeting the challenge of crime.

D. It established a systematic activity for the frequent sharing and exchange of ideas, expertise, talents, knowledge, skill and techniques among practitioners in the multiple sub-discipline engaged in any of the five (5) general fields in the practice of Criminology.

E. It serves as a monitor to evaluate all seminars, workshops, lectures, apprenticeship, externship, and the like on criminological subject matters in the determination as to whether such activity advances knowledge or proficiency as any of the specialties of the profession.

III
Scope

A. All registered Criminologists should earn a forty-five (45) credit units of Continuing Professional Education for three (3) years period covering the validity of the Professional Identification Card as basic requisite for its renewal. Excess credit units may not be carried over to the next three-year period.

B. Structured accredited activities or programs shall be authorized for Continuing Professional Education credits by a CPE Accreditation Committee of the Professional Criminologists Association of the Philippines, which shall administer the said activity and program.

C. The Accreditation Committee for CPE of the PCAP shall operate and maintain a CPE Center for Registered Criminologists, develop CPE Courses; assess Outside Programs, both local and foreign for credit purposes. It shall maintain all CPE records as well as records of organizations, institutions or entities outside the PCAP authorized to conduct accredited CPE activities or programs.

IV
Accrediting Body

A. A committee on CPE Accreditation for Registered Criminologists shall be created and composed of five (5) members of the PCAP, each of whom shall represent one of the following specialization:

1.       Criminology Education and Research

2.       Law Enforcement Administration/Management

3.       Criminal Investigation

4.       Criminalistics

5.       Correction/Probation

B. A member of the Board of Criminology shall be an ex-officio member and shall serve as liaison officer between the Committee and the Board.

C. Qualification of members shall be as follows:

1.       Registered Criminologist and member of the PCAP of good standing.

2.       Minimum of five (5) years professional practice in any of the fields of practice of Criminology.

3.       Generally recognized as having competent technical expertise in at least one of the five (5) fields of practice.

D. Term of office of each member is three (3) years renewable for a second term of three (3) years.

E. Functions -

1.       Formulate guidelines for CPE;

2.       Evaluate program/activities for accreditation;

3.       Accredit programs/activities upon request of professionals and/or outside organization such as educational institutions, professional firms, industrial, commercial or business organizations;

4.       Monitor and periodically assess program implementations;

5.       Review and revise guidelines for CPE every three (3) years or sooner when deemed necessary.

F. The members shall elect from among themselves the Chairman and Vice-Chairman who shall preside in all meetings of the committee.

G. The attendance of at least three (3) members excluding the Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall constitute a quorum.

H. The CPE Accreditation Committee shall meet as often as its business requires and at least once a month.

I.   The CPE Center shall be staffed and equipped from the resources of PCAP in carrying out its functions.

V
Accredited Activities and/or Programs

A. Structured learning activities/programs that may be authorized by the CPE Accreditation Committee may fall under any of the following

1.       Attendance/participation in any meeting delving on criminological subject matter at local, national or international level such as conventions, annual or social meetings conducted by PCAP; lectures arranged by standing or special societies of PCAP; seminars, workshops sponsored by PCAP; conference called for specific purposes involving criminological subject matter within PCAP; and, services as guest lecturer or discussion leader except repititious presentations.

2.       Academic courses leading to the degree of Masters of Criminology or such other masteral degree closely related to criminology such as MNSA, MACJ, MA in Police Science etc.,

3.       On-The-Job Training, externship, apprenticeship or specialization or diplomate course at the post graduate level conducted by an accredited agency or training institution.

4.       Activities similar to the above conducted by or authorized by the CPE Accrediting Committee.

5.       Authorship of books, articles, technical papers, research and instructional materials on criminology, for credit purposes within one (1) year from the date of publication.

6.       Self instructional programs/materials in the form of printed manuals, cassette tapes or study kits; delving on Criminology and include clearly defined objectives, adequate contents and an evaluation component per module.

VI
Mechanics of Implementation

A. The PCAP CPE Center shall receive and process all applications for accreditation and/or authority to conduct any CPE activity or program from organizations, institutions, agencies or entities.

B. All Registered Criminologists should earn at least fifteen (15) credit hours/units per year or an aggregate of at least forty-five (45) credit/units per three (3) year period as a requisite for the renewal of their professional Identification Card. Credit/units in excess of forty-five (45) may not be carried over to the succeeding three (3) year period;

C. Only CPE Accrediting Committee approved and authorized activity/program can be the bases of CPE credit units. Non-authorized activity/program may be authorized or evaluated upon application of its sponsor and due evaluation of its professional value by the CPE Accrediting Committee;

D. All records covering CPE shall be kept and maintained by the PCAP Accrediting Committee Secretariat;

E. An application for CPE Accreditation (Tab. A) should be accomplished by each applicant whether for authority to conduct activity/program or for evaluation of earned units;

F. Evaluation of earned credit units per activity are as follows:

1.       One (1) unit per every one (1) hour involvement in any of the approved programs/activity.

2.       Fifteen (15) units per semester taken in post graduate studies.

3.       Twenty (20) credit units per three (3) months On-The-Job Training, apprenticeship or specialization course.

4.       Twenty (20 credit units per book published.

5.       Ten (10) units per training modules.

6.       Ten (10) units per publication of articles.

7.       Fifteen (15) units per research published.

G. The following shall be exempted from complying with the CPE requirements:

1.       Registered Criminologists above the age of 60.

2.       Those who had been bedridden for a period of not less than one (1) year, and

3.       Those who undertook foreign studies abroad or are assigned abroad for a period of one (1) year. However, exemption shall only for a period of three (3) years from the date of the professionals arrival from abroad.

H. The CPE Accrediting Committee has the power to collect reasonable fees for the effective implementation of its responsibility herein.

VII
Effectivity

This guideline for Continuing Professional Education for Registered Criminologists shall take effect on/or about the year 1991 upon approval by the Commission and after fifteen (15) days following its publication in the Official Gazette.

Adopted: 10 Aug. 1990

(SGD.) VIRGILIO B. ANDRES
Chairman

(SGD.) REYNALDO D. MARCELO Member

(SGD.) MANUEL P. PORRAS Member

APPROVED:

(SGD.) JULIO B. FRANCIA, JR. Commissioner	(SGD.) NILO C. MARIANO Associate Commissioner
(SGD.) MARIANO A. MENDIETA Associate Commissioner