Why did you choose to study criminal justice?. What job are you interested that relates to criminal justice? : )
I initially chose to study criminal justice because, at the time, it seemed like the area with the most growth and stability. I still think that certain aspects of the criminal justice world has a high level of stability [meaning I'm less likely to lose my job because of the economy]. I also love it because it poses a challenge almost everywhere I look. No matter what profession I choose to embark on, there will always be aspects of it that I might not have thought I would ever encounters. For example, of you've ever seen the tv show Flashpoint, they've made a point in saying that in the past SRU only had to protect and serve. Now, they have to be psychologists too. And its very true. If I choose to be a cop, I'm not only faced with arresting criminals everyday, but I'll have to work for the improvement of the community as a whole. That in itself opens up a larger box of challaneges that police officers have to deal with every day.
My goal thus far is to become a criminal investigator. I know, I know. CSI, right?? Well ironically enough, my choice in what career to pursue came from that show. To make things more interesting, I live in Las Vegas! :) and I know that the job isn't all the glitz and glam Hollywood makes it out to be. To be completely honest, I'm not sure I want to spend the rest of my life in Vegas. I haven't decided what avenue of criminal investigation I'm going to pursue but I am heavily leaning towards homicide.
I also watch NCIS and the thought of investigating military crimes intrigued me even more because you would think that someone protecting our courtyard and our rights couldn't possibly do anything to infringe on those rights, right? Wrong. Soldiers are human too and, even though they are approached differently when it comes to criminal charges, their victims deserve to be honored and their stories told as well. Challenge accepted!
I have considered taking my knowledge to the military and climbing the ladder through that outlet. It seems like a great idea, to me, because it would give me a chance to experience what it takes to be someone fighting for more than myself. Some people think I'm backwards - they ask why start in the military and then go into law enforcement? My response is:
1) Military life might not be for me. It might not be where I am happiest and feel like I'm making a difference. Or I might find out that I am not qualified enough for military life. It's not just seeing how many pull ups you can do or how fast you can run. There are standards, emotionally and physically, that I have never encountered before and, therefore might not be able to reach.
With that comes answer #2. If any of the above applies, I can tell myself that I just have to lower my standards (I have a habit of setting my bar too high for me to initially reach) and work up to those that the military sets. If the standards are my only obstacles, then once I reach them, apply for the military again. If I'm not happy in the military, I can move from Local Law Enforcement, up the ladder, to something that could make me happy.
I have chosen a field with a vast amount of routes that I can take. It can open up so many possibilities for my personal happiness. Investigators don't make a lot of money so you can tell I'm not in it for the money - I am in it for me, my family, and my country. I do believe that one day there will be solutions to most of our problems and we, as human beings, will be able to live a better life and I would be proud to be a part of that.
If you are considering studying Criminal Justice, my advice would be to let your career come to you. I am nearing the home stretch of my Bachelors program and, as you can see, I don't have a concrete plan as to what I am going to do after graduation. You are going to find that as you sit in class, the different Criminal Justice avenues are going to present themselves to you and there are A LOT. You might find that what you thought you were interested in, actually totally disinterests you (I like the idea of homicide investigations but I've never smelled a decaying body... I'm going to have to change my field if I can't take the smell...)
I know this was a very long response but being me, there are no simple answers. :)