Whilst criminology is the study of crimes and deviant behavior, criminologists are individuals who research every crime act thereby putting things under control. You will be guided on how to become a criminologist in this article.
How To Become a Criminologist
Regardless of the fact that criminology does not seem to be as exciting the most jobs and because of this, some people overlook it, with the belief that it is of less relevance in society.
Other people however, especially the learned citizens consider it a huge opportunity to aviate crime and they would stick to this opportunty against all odds.
Criminology is an entirely new field of discipline tracing its origin from sociology between the 19th and 20th century. Before the setting aside of such field as criminology, other fields like philosophy, law, etc had been in charge of crimes.
Criminologists are usually properly guided when fighting crimes, they do these by proper study of the cause of the crime they are fighting, the criminals involved, the posture of law enforcement agencies in such crime.
It will therefore not be out of place to say that criminology is an embodiment of law enforcement agencies, correctional institutions/education, public/private social agencies, judicial institutions, and legislative bodies.
Responsibilities of a Criminolgist
Criminologists are known for their ability to investigate all kinds of crime acts and reduce the rate of recidivism .
Criminologists are research driven, and they conduct their researches in a sterile environment and office space. In their research, they do not leave any crime event unattended to.
They sometimes work hand-in-hand with community heads, law enforcement agencies, politicians, etc. They also interview criminals to get more information on why they got involved in such acts of criminality, and they ensure that convicted criminals are given fair treatments.
Other criminologist also work in universities and colleges as research personnel and lecturers. Furthermore, criminologist;
- Conduct research interviews
- Carry out crime surveys
- Study criminal behavior
- Formulate policy recommendations
- Develop research works and articles
- Invent strategies which help to reduce crime
- Compile statistical data
- Work alongside law enforcement and correction personnel
Check out post on; Do criminologist get paid well? All you need to know.
Skills You should Have as a Criminologists
Asides from experiences and education, there are important skills that one must have in order to be competent for the job of a criminologist. they include;
- Interest in public policy: You must not be uninterested in affairs regarding public policy because you can contribute your own quota as a criminologist to alleviate and prevent crime.
- Writing skills: After researches, you’ll need to put down your report (in the form of summary, and analysis) into writing. This will be difficult to achieve if you do not have good writing ability.
- Have expertise in statistics: Mathematical calculations (specifically statistics and probability) are one of the inevitable cross lines in the job. So, if you can interpret and give explanations to statistical data, that will be a plus for you as a criminologist.
- Research: Research is the primary work of a criminologist. Education and academic experiences help also in the area of research.
- Organizational skills: When making a report or data analysis, you need excellent organizational skills in order to produce and present a well-organized report.
- Communicational skills: As a criminologist, you will have interrogative sessions with suspects as well as culprits, interactive sessions with criminal justice personnel. The only help you can get in times like these is to be excellent at communicating with others and also, knowing the right words to use per time and event.
How to Become a Criminologist
Criminology is one of the jobs that give keen attention to academic experiences so, you should at least have a bachelor’s degree to be eligible to be able to apply.
A lot of people however do not just end their pursuit having acquired their bachelor’s degree, as they go ahead with obtaining a Master’s degree in behavioral sciences.
Nevertheless, people that want to take on the teaching aspect of criminology where they lecture in colleges and universities, they must have completed their doctoral degree programs in psychology or sociology.
People with the rank of Major of criminologists have completed psychology programs. Courses available to be offered in criminology programs include;
- Logic
- Computer sciences
- Psychology
- Writing
- Behavioral science
- Statistics
With corresponding qualifications as would be required by the state, various states require that intending criminologists must pass a written test (as would be given by them) to be licensed.
At the beginning of a criminology career, people are usually referred to as assistants or junior criminologists. The criminologists’ title is usually not used on people who do not have at least five to six years of working experience as a criminologist.
Job Opportunities for Criminology Graduates
As a graduate from any criminology program, regardless of the fact that you own your self a very rewarding degree, there are several advantages you have because you are not limited to just a criminologist job.
Unlike most career, you can decide to switch from being a criminologist after a while and do take on another career that share similar boundaries with the former.
You are licensed to switch to be either a police officer, a detective, or a law enforcement investigators. These will also give you a sense of satisfaction if you are really the burden of fighting crime and maintaining peace and unity.
As earlier said, several job opportunities awaits criminology graduates. they include;
- Community development workers
- Police officers
- Prison officers
- Psychologists
- Probation officers
- Detectives
- Social workers
- Federal law enforcement investigators
Finally, if you get fascinated by the crime fighting scenes, you too might excellently well at this role. Going for a criminal law related job is a good way to make an impact other people’s life.
Ensuring that people’s safety is ensured and and defending the oppressed of any kind is one good that is easily remembered.
The journey to becoming a criminologist starts now, if it interests you already, you might want to take up a course on criminology (either offline or online), how about that?
