Criminal justice

Hi Nicole:

I was actually a police officer before I became an academic advisor at a college. Before you can start a career, you will need to determine exactly what it is you want to do in the field of criminal justice. There are definitely many opportunities that you can consider in criminal justice or criminology. So performing a personal assessment of your natural talents and abilities, as well as your personal interests and strengths should be the first thing to do.

Some of the most popular criminal justice jobs available right now include police officers, probation and parole officers, detective and investigators, and paralegals and legal assistants.

When I was researching the process of becoming a police officer I actually went and consulted with the law enforcement agency in my region. They can be very helpful in providing information on what is involved in becoming a police officer. Some offer ride along programs where you ride with an actual uniformed officer and see the day to day operations of the division and what the job entails from the officers perspective.

Some agencies also offer community police academies, where members of the public can attend actual police training and obtain information on community oriented policing procedures. Many agencies also maintain an auxiliary police force. These are volunteer reserve police officers, who have been through a police academy and perform many of the same functions as an actual police officer, assigned to them by the patrol division. This can provide a possible door for you, should you decide to pursue this path.

One important thing to remember about careers in criminology and criminal justice is that the hiring process can be very lengthy. Extensive background checks are often required, along with polygraph examinations physical agility tests and psychological assessments are administered, in order to determine your suitability for the job, depending on your career choice.

I would also research possible opportunities at the local courthouse. There could be internships, where you can obtain college credit and get experience working within the criminal justice system inside the courts. This includes opportunities in the clerk’s office, records division, or even assisting a judge.

When I was a police officer I actually enrolled in a paralegal program at a local community college. This not only made me into a better writer for the prosecutors and judges, but it also provided me an opportunity to see what happened inside the court system, and allowed me to correct any deficiencies, which a defense attorney might be able to attack on the witness stand.

There are also plenty of other opportunities available to you in science or criminology. You can choose to pursue a career in academics, and prepare for a career as a criminologist pr a forensic psychologist

You may also be interested in learning more about working in forensics. The role of a forensic scientist can include some very interesting work. The specialties within this field, include ballistics, blood stain and DNA analysis and forensic computer investigators. So I would research possible graduate programs, which will provide you with the training and experience for these positions, should you decide to pursue this path.