CAREER PATHS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Introduction

A career in Criminal justice offers an individual numerous challenges, opportunities and room for growth hence my attraction to this line. After intense research about criminal justice in general and a personal interview between me and a Sergeant in the Department of Corrections, I came to the realization that such a path would be most suitable for me. Sergeant B. Campbell (the interviewee) was highly responsible for this decision. He has been with the Department of Corrections for a number of years and was also my supervisor during my term of service within the force.

Why I want a career in criminal justice as a sergeant in the department of corrections
Most sergeants assert that in order to get to such a position, a lot of patience and wisdom has to be exercised on the part of the officer. This is because one always has to have his/her eyes on that rank within the Department of Corrections (DOC) but it takes a meticulous record and prompt response from one’s part in order to achieve this. Before getting to such a position, it is essential for one to understand the process of entering the force and this is something that I have looked into very a lot of keenness. There are a series of both physical and mental tests that one has to undergo. In the interview with Sergeant Campbell, he explained how a demonstration of good weapons control was necessary. (Kelly and West Attorneys, 2009)
Physical fitness was another important milestone in this process. One is required to demonstrate that one can run for long distances, do long jumps, push ups, bench presses and even vertical leaps within a short span of time. In addition to this, an officer in this line is required to demonstrate their mental capabilities through a series of interviews. Here, one is required to show that they are capable of making good decisions under high stress situations since police work may subject one to choose between life and death. Also, high levels of discipline, respect for authority and passion for police work had to be demonstrated. I believe that I possess such qualities to meet these criteria.

Many experts also assert that education and training are important parts of this process. One should posses a degree in criminal justice and may be given extra points for doing a post graduate diploma in accounting. Since I plan on improving my educational qualifications, a future in such a career line would be very feasible for me. It takes a lot of patience for one to enter the force because it is possible to be rejected severally. Usually, reasons given revolve around the availability of vacancies within the Department of Corrections at any time and one’s prior experience. Since a position in such a career would very rewarding, then I believe that it would be worth the wait.

After gaining admission into the Department of Corrections, many experienced sergeants warn that all is not over. In fact, this is where the real challenge begins. First of all, one has to maintain his/her level of physical fitness because any sloppiness in the job could result in very big repercussions. Upon acceptance into the Department of Corrections, I plan on maintaining a high level of fitness. Additionally, officers are usually challenged to lead clean lives because members are subjected to random checks and trials every now and then. On top of these, there is a need to have multitasking abilities since officers are required to make frequent reports of everything that they have done within any given day. Since I have managed to do part time jobs during my university education then this testifies to my multitasking abilities. The Department of Corrections was a particularly interesting one owing to the fact that one has to come in contact with some dangerous criminals. In certain circumstances, Sergeant Campbell explained that dealing with these cases was the most challenging aspect of his career. He added that the situation was particularly tricky owing to the fact that one could not be able to predict another’s reaction within a high stress scenario. In this regard, he asserted that it was indeed difficult for him to handle such situations because if he demonstrated bad judgment, then he would be answerable for it. All in all, an officer should have a good head above their shoulders and since I have always dealt with personal stresses relatively well, then I believe that I can handle these challenges relatively well. (Department of Corrections, 2009)

Many officers also assert that a good memory is an important part of the job within the correctional department because in certain scenarios, one is expected to testify in courts of law. Therefore a police officer has a lot of responsibility in his hands. If anything like a false accusation is made, then chances are that the individual under trail will miss a chance in justice. I have always believed in the principles of justice and fair trail thus indicating that there is synchrony between my values and the Department of correction’s values. Additionally, such kinds of conduct could put one’s job on the line after it has been established that there are some problems with the testimony given by a police officer. These severe repercussions will therefore make me perform my duties with extra care.

During the interview, the sergeant also asserted that the Department of Corrections has a lot of room for orientation of new police officers. Consequently, one ought not to worry about fitting in. This issue will make matters relatively easy for me. A supervisor is always assigned upon arrival and he/she is responsible for all the social, physical and psychological needs that an officer may have within the line of duty. This implies that all the questions and inquiries that new officers may posses are addressed. Also, the supervisor is responsible for ensuring that officers understand their respective duties and they know how to carry them out. After finding this out, I am confident that my life within the Department will be quite comfortable. (Department of Corrections, 2009)

Being a sergeant requires a different set of challenges from normal police work. First of all, one has to be committed to the job because one can get called at any time of the day be it day or night. On top of these, the needs of the unit are always the most important and sometimes, this may come in the way of one’s personal life. In fact, during the interview, the sergeant asserted that this was one of the most difficult issues that he had to face in his position.

The Department of corrections has a lot of opportunities for growth and all one has to do is to demonstrate that they possess the right kind of qualities to fit into these positions. Being a sergeant within the Department of Corrections requires one to portray managerial skills and may signify potential for filing in other positions. The sergeant position is between the corporal and the officer and here one has the option of deciding between varieties of positions. For instance one can be a first sergeant who is responsible for in house duties one may be any of the other sergeant ranks within the DOC. All these opportunities seemed very attractive to me. If one has been placed at a suitable position within promotion lists, then chances are that they would have greater chances of achieving it. Usually, one is subjected to rigorous testing both within the job and outside. I plan on heightening my chances of promotion by doing additional training that will be necessary for performance of certain duties.

In the interview, Sgt. Campbell asserted that the most important part of his job was knowing that he had contributed towards making his country safer by playing his part. Similarly, I believe that I will find great reward in knowing that such a crucial Department relies on my duties and that most of the work I do reflects positively on the performance of my chosen correctional department.

Police officers in general and sergeants in particular have a wide degree of job incentives such as health insurance for their family members. Also, one enjoys a relatively high level of security within their job positions in this particular Department. These are all very interesting packages and they contributed towards my decision to join the Department of Corrections. However, in the interview, the Sergeant was quick to add that one’s own security was the major issue within this line of work. He claimed that the hardest point for him was when a close associate was knifed twice in the stomach when trying to capture a suspect that had tried evading this respective officer. Sgt Campbell had a hard time recovering from that sight because he was there when the events unfolded. At the back of his mind, he knew that the same thing could happen to him as well. However, he claims that these events have not reoccurred since. I believe that any line of work possesses its risks and such instances have not dissuaded me from pursuing these interests (Kelly and West Attorneys, 2009)

Sergeants also explain that pressure levels in such lines of duty are extremely high. I plan on being on my toes most of the time because one could never be sure when or where their services were required in such a job. In fact, I believe that the most important quality within his line of work is having multitasking abilities. I believe that I will be able to respond to other calls from one’s associates, supervise other individuals while at the same time review performance records and job ratings.

Conclusion
My research and the interview provided a deep insight into the life of a police officer (as he was one before promotion) and also some details about the life of a Sergeant. It was found that these positions are quite demanding and one had to possess immense levels of dedication and passion to thrive in any criminal justice field. Since I possess such abilities, then I believe that I can make it in this line of work.

References

Kelly and West Attorneys (2009): New Highway Patrol First Sergeant; Record Publishing Company
Department of Corrections (2009): Home Page, retrieved form http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos156.htm accessed on 23rd Jan 2008


Appendix: Interview questions
What education and previous experience were required for the job?
What was the training like?
What are the expectations for a new officer?
What should you not do or do as an officer?
What makes a good officer and what makes a bad one?
What are some of the career advancement opportunities within the DOC?
What are the most challenging issues in the DOC?
What kind of benefits do you get?
What sort of security and safety do you expect?
What is your favorite part of the job?
What amount of stress levels are you subjected to?

The author of this article is a holder of Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Harvard University and currently pursing PhD Program. He is also a professional academic writer. ResearchPapers247.Com>