The development of minimum standards in higher education through the evolution of accreditation in specialized disciplines, and standard setting in criminology and criminal justice education are examined. The very different experiences with the concept of accreditation encountered in the fields of public administration and law are considered. Law is an established profession that achieved a mechanism of specialized accreditation largely controlled by an organization of practitioners, while public administration is a somewhat diverse field in which attempts are still being made to achieve accreditation standards administered and controlled by professional schools. Developments of immediate concern to the constituency of the Joint Commission on Criminology and Criminal Justice Education and Standards are addressed. The growth of criminology and criminal justice in an academic setting and the major problem areas directly related to the questions of evaluation and accreditation in these fields are considered. The literature indicates that there are strong differences of opinion on questions concerning the fundamental direction higher education in this area should take. Academic are even divided in their opinions of what general objectives educational programs should attempt to address: the needs of the present or future criminal justice administrator, the policy-maker, the researcher, the academic, or the line officer? It is suggested that evaluation efforts depend on decision-making concerning the preferred curriculum/curricula, and that problems regarding criminal justice education stem from the broad spectrum of programs covered. A bibliography is appended. (SW)