Maya
Does a Criminology major require any math?
I have such a hard time with math. I can't imagine it making sense or being enjoyable, or relevant to my career.
#law enforcement
1 answer
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
Sorry Maya, but yes, almost everything in life requires math to some degree, including criminology.
If you become a patrol officer, you will need to be able to total the value of stolen items to be able to classify the offense as a misdemeanor or felony; or figure out how many miles over the speed limit someone was driving; or quickly calculate someone's age when given a driver's license. If you get into investigations, such as traffic accidents, you will need to know the stopping distance on various surfaces, how that changes when the surface is wet, etc. Lots of crimes involve money, time, distance, etc.
If you go into analytical work, there is a lot of statistics involved in trying to figure out how best to deploy the officers in the department, how to factor in the average amount of sick and vacation days they take off, etc.
Really and truly, once you start actually applying math, it starts to make a lot more sense. If it is something you simply cannot do, that's one thing. But, if you just don't like it, I will say this. If you go through life running away from challenges, your options will be limited. However, if you put extra effort into overcoming these challenges, you will shine!
Best of luck!
Kim