This study examined the textbook history of Peel's principles, the set of nineteenth century precepts so often referenced as foundational to modern policing. Without it, errors may become lasting dogma. Nevertheless, critical assessment of sources, whether primary or secondary, is an ongoing process. One does not imagine textbook authors scouring public records offices and historical societies for new insights it would, quite simply, be impractical. For social science and law, the primary source is often but a few clicks away in the form of the actual study, case, or statute. In this task, writers are significantly dependent on secondary sources, but perhaps more so in history. As textbook authors, in their monumental task of condensing an enormous body of material, remain current in regard to social science and legal research, so too is remaining current in historical study vital to the internal and external legitimacy of the discipline. In this regard, textbooks remain at the undergraduate level as critical learning tools about foundation. Absent designated history courses, it is the many topical courses of criminal justice which are foundational for understanding the role of history in the discipline of criminal justice. Still, that history is often seen as peripheral to criminal justice does not relieve the discipline from getting the history it does acknowledge, and often uses, accurate. Much of this more modern and critical work, however, does not seem to have, as yet, been fully integrated into policing textbooks. In this line of thought, it may be that criminal justice has not sufficiently matured to fully develop its own historians and philosophers, although the emergence of significant new work particularly in the history of policing indicates substantial growth in this regard (see for example, Philips and Storch, 1999, Reynolds, 1998, Taylor, 1997). Where does one start a history of criminal justice? Similarly, the history of criminal justice as a discipline is relatively short compared to other disciplines with undergraduate practitioner dimensions and a long tradition of foundations courses, for example, education and social work. The history of policing is, for instance, brief compared to say the courts or law. Partially, this lack of historical context is the product of the breadth of the discipline. Dedicated history courses are rare and the ‘historical roots’ of criminal justice are more often relegated to an introductory chapter or even paragraphs of textbooks. The study of history in the discipline of criminal justice remains largely incidental.