Still Ignoring the Past: Assessing and Addressing Open Textbook Coverage of U.S. Slavery and Colonialism.

By Andrew C. Gray and Indigo Koslicki

Turner et al. examined the discussion of slavery and slave patrols within criminal justice textbooks and found a general lack of coverage. While much has changed since then, there exists an absence of coverage in a newer realm of educational materials: Open Educational Resources (OERs). While there is growing acknowledgment that textbooks should be more accessible, criminal justice OER textbooks are sparse—especially when considering their coverage of race and colonialism. We first conduct a content analysis similar to that of Turner et al. to find extant introductory criminal justice OER textbooks and determine their coverage of historic anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. We then discuss our own work in creating OER textbooks to bridge the identified gaps, with guidance to readers seeking to develop their own OER textbooks, including content development, copyright law, and considerations in light of legislation limiting the discussion of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.

Journal of Criminal Justice Education , June 2025.