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1) Be prepared to do a lot
of reading and retain what you’ve read. You will need to be able to draw conclusions,
form an opinion and evaluate what it is you have just read. All criminal
justice jobs have their roots based on the law. If you can’t read and
understand laws and statutes you will not be successful in criminal justice.
2) Having excellent writing skills is a mandatory requirement. Therefore all criminal justice courses have a writing component. If you don’t like to write then find a different major. ALL jobs in the criminal justice field have report writing requirements and if you cannot express an idea or situation in written form you will not be hired!
3) Remember this is college NOT high school. There will be work assigned outside of class. In fact most of your grade will be based on this work and not your test scores. Most jobs in the criminal justice field are 24/7 and will require you to work outside of the 8-5, M-F work day.
4) A “D” is not an acceptable grade. Your future criminal justice employers will not be impressed that you barely passed the course. Here is how a “D” is viewed by an employer; “This person is either lazy or dense.” and “If they can’t get a decent grade in their major why would I want them working for me?” Not to mention, you can’t graduate with a degree if you never achieve higher than a “D.”
5) A three credit or three-hour course does not mean you only have to put in three hours a week. To be successful in college every three credit course will require you to spend another six hours each week on reading, research, assignments, and studying. Your grade will be reflected by your work effort. Do the work; get an “A” or “B”. Don’t put forth the effort; get a “D” or “F”. It’s your choice.
6) Your college instructor is not your mother, father or babysitter. It is YOUR responsibility to be on time for class, check for assignment due dates, read your emails, submit your work on time and contact your instructor when you are going to be absent. Your criminal justice employer will also expect these requirements of you. Only mature and responsible ADULTS get jobs in the criminal justice field.
7) Be Prepared: the Motto of the Boy Scouts of America also applies to the criminal justice world. Coming to class without having read or completed the assignment and without pen or paper will guarantee your failure. In the real world testifying at a trial or hearing without preparing could result in a bad guy being released back into society and possibly committing more crimes. Working in a criminal justice job impacts other people’s lives! YOU MUST BE PREPARED!
8) Show up for class! If you don’t attend you will miss out on lectures, extra credit opportunities, homework explanations, class discussions, and video presentations. Your class participation, or lack of participation, will be noted by your instructor. How long do you think you will keep a criminal justice job if you only show up for work on occasion and didn’t provide your boss with feedback when it is requested?
9) Get Organized. Working in the criminal justice field requires you keep track of multiple projects, deadlines, and appointments. Miss a court date, hearing, or report deadline and a bad guy goes free, and then try explaining that to your boss. Buy a planner or use some type of electronic organizer. Keep a copy of everything in two different places as computers and flash drives will crash! Using the excuse that you didn’t save a file or your computer got a virus will NOT work with a supervisor, judge or instructor!
10) Network with fellow students. The criminal justice world is really one big family. Everyone knows everyone. Develop allies and contacts. Get phone numbers and email addresses. Ask your classmates for help but don’t expect them to do your work or carry your workload. Getting “help” does not mean copying someone else’s paper or asking someone else for the answers. It doesn’t happen that way in the employment world and it won’t fly in college either.
11) Know your priorities. Consider how you spend your time during class? What is going to be of most benefit to your future? A) chatting with friends on Face Book; B) surfing the web; C) playing online games; D) watching You Tube videos; or E) using your computer to take notes or go to web sites directed by your instructor. It’s your life and your time, but believe it or not, your criminal justice boss and college instructor are not impressed that you have 500 Face Book friends or what is your current level of achievement is in the Candy Crush.
12) Participate. If you are expecting to be spoon fed criminal justice knowledge you will starve. If you can’t speak up and participate in a benign college class how are you going to take charge in a work situation that involves and impacts the lives of others? Being timid, shy, unsure and passive are not the qualities sought by employers in the criminal justice field. Step up or move on to a different career.
13) Unless you have a photographic memory take notes. Every criminal justice job requires written reports that are based on FACT. You cannot rely on your memory alone. All criminal justice employees must know how to take notes in order to prepare factual reports. College is where you learn how to take good notes. If an instructor takes the time to tell you something, show you something, or asks you to look something up there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll be seeing that again in an assignment or on a test.
14) Get real. The actual world of criminal justice is not like COPS, CSI, Law and Order, SWAT or Prison Break. No, you won’t get to be a SWAT officer, detective or a CSI right out of the academy. Plan on at least five years of “paying your dues” and “putting in your time” before you can even apply for these positions. Real criminal cases and trials are not solved in an hour and take months to prepare. Unfortunately the wheels of justice are incredibly slow.
15) Expect the ride of a lifetime. If you have determination, outstanding work ethic, impeccable moral attributes, and the desire to impact the world around you then you have chosen the right career path. Unlike other careers, the criminal justice field is ever changing, always challenging, and depending on the job teetering on a fine line between calm or chaos. If you have what it takes, then welcome to the world of criminal justice. All of the work, sweat and frustration will be well worth it!
2) Having excellent writing skills is a mandatory requirement. Therefore all criminal justice courses have a writing component. If you don’t like to write then find a different major. ALL jobs in the criminal justice field have report writing requirements and if you cannot express an idea or situation in written form you will not be hired!
3) Remember this is college NOT high school. There will be work assigned outside of class. In fact most of your grade will be based on this work and not your test scores. Most jobs in the criminal justice field are 24/7 and will require you to work outside of the 8-5, M-F work day.
4) A “D” is not an acceptable grade. Your future criminal justice employers will not be impressed that you barely passed the course. Here is how a “D” is viewed by an employer; “This person is either lazy or dense.” and “If they can’t get a decent grade in their major why would I want them working for me?” Not to mention, you can’t graduate with a degree if you never achieve higher than a “D.”
5) A three credit or three-hour course does not mean you only have to put in three hours a week. To be successful in college every three credit course will require you to spend another six hours each week on reading, research, assignments, and studying. Your grade will be reflected by your work effort. Do the work; get an “A” or “B”. Don’t put forth the effort; get a “D” or “F”. It’s your choice.
6) Your college instructor is not your mother, father or babysitter. It is YOUR responsibility to be on time for class, check for assignment due dates, read your emails, submit your work on time and contact your instructor when you are going to be absent. Your criminal justice employer will also expect these requirements of you. Only mature and responsible ADULTS get jobs in the criminal justice field.
7) Be Prepared: the Motto of the Boy Scouts of America also applies to the criminal justice world. Coming to class without having read or completed the assignment and without pen or paper will guarantee your failure. In the real world testifying at a trial or hearing without preparing could result in a bad guy being released back into society and possibly committing more crimes. Working in a criminal justice job impacts other people’s lives! YOU MUST BE PREPARED!
8) Show up for class! If you don’t attend you will miss out on lectures, extra credit opportunities, homework explanations, class discussions, and video presentations. Your class participation, or lack of participation, will be noted by your instructor. How long do you think you will keep a criminal justice job if you only show up for work on occasion and didn’t provide your boss with feedback when it is requested?
9) Get Organized. Working in the criminal justice field requires you keep track of multiple projects, deadlines, and appointments. Miss a court date, hearing, or report deadline and a bad guy goes free, and then try explaining that to your boss. Buy a planner or use some type of electronic organizer. Keep a copy of everything in two different places as computers and flash drives will crash! Using the excuse that you didn’t save a file or your computer got a virus will NOT work with a supervisor, judge or instructor!
10) Network with fellow students. The criminal justice world is really one big family. Everyone knows everyone. Develop allies and contacts. Get phone numbers and email addresses. Ask your classmates for help but don’t expect them to do your work or carry your workload. Getting “help” does not mean copying someone else’s paper or asking someone else for the answers. It doesn’t happen that way in the employment world and it won’t fly in college either.
11) Know your priorities. Consider how you spend your time during class? What is going to be of most benefit to your future? A) chatting with friends on Face Book; B) surfing the web; C) playing online games; D) watching You Tube videos; or E) using your computer to take notes or go to web sites directed by your instructor. It’s your life and your time, but believe it or not, your criminal justice boss and college instructor are not impressed that you have 500 Face Book friends or what is your current level of achievement is in the Candy Crush.
12) Participate. If you are expecting to be spoon fed criminal justice knowledge you will starve. If you can’t speak up and participate in a benign college class how are you going to take charge in a work situation that involves and impacts the lives of others? Being timid, shy, unsure and passive are not the qualities sought by employers in the criminal justice field. Step up or move on to a different career.
13) Unless you have a photographic memory take notes. Every criminal justice job requires written reports that are based on FACT. You cannot rely on your memory alone. All criminal justice employees must know how to take notes in order to prepare factual reports. College is where you learn how to take good notes. If an instructor takes the time to tell you something, show you something, or asks you to look something up there’s a pretty good chance that you’ll be seeing that again in an assignment or on a test.
14) Get real. The actual world of criminal justice is not like COPS, CSI, Law and Order, SWAT or Prison Break. No, you won’t get to be a SWAT officer, detective or a CSI right out of the academy. Plan on at least five years of “paying your dues” and “putting in your time” before you can even apply for these positions. Real criminal cases and trials are not solved in an hour and take months to prepare. Unfortunately the wheels of justice are incredibly slow.
15) Expect the ride of a lifetime. If you have determination, outstanding work ethic, impeccable moral attributes, and the desire to impact the world around you then you have chosen the right career path. Unlike other careers, the criminal justice field is ever changing, always challenging, and depending on the job teetering on a fine line between calm or chaos. If you have what it takes, then welcome to the world of criminal justice. All of the work, sweat and frustration will be well worth it!