Criminal Justice Schools in New York

Q. What makes criminal justice a rewarding subject to study?

Criminal justice is an interdisciplinary subject that integrates fields such as sociology, psychology, biology, and political science as well as criminal justice to study criminal behavior and the criminal mind. One of the most important aspects of the criminal justice field is the development of critical thinking skills, enabling future criminal justice professionals to deal with real world problems, sometimes with little time to make good decisions. It is a constantly evolving field and students learn why laws are created to make certain behaviors criminal. In addition, while it is impossible to predict human behavior, students learn the reasons crimes are committed and who is more likely to commit crimes. Studying criminal justice requires an understanding of the relationship between the community, governing bodies and individuals; students are challenged to balance the safety of the community with the individual rights of those who are accused of crimes.

One of the most rewarding aspects of studying criminal justice for me as both a student and instructor is the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations, both in the classroom and during experiential learning such as service-learning or internships. There is no lack of examples both in the news and in television crime dramas of the criminal justice system operating in ways that differ from what is taught in the classroom. Both provide opportunities for student learning through discussions, such as why the television crime dramas are unrealistic and how the use of discretion by law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and correctional officials can create widely different outcomes in similar criminal events.

Q. What kinds of courses can criminal justice students expect to take in a degree program?

The courses in a criminal justice degree include courses about the criminal justice system including law enforcement, courts, and corrections. Student will also study criminology (the theories of why crimes occur), ethics, race/ethnicity and crime, gender and crime, research methods, and will typically apply all of the knowledge they have acquired in a culminating internship. Students will also have the ability to study specific topics within criminal justice of particular interest to them such as mental health, substance abuse, or forensic science. Additional courses are offered based on the population and types of crimes that occur and can include topics such as drugs and crime, terrorism, organized crime, and cybercrime.

Q. What makes criminal justice an interesting career to pursue?

Working in the criminal justice field provides an opportunity to serve your community and make a difference in people’s lives. For victims and the community, criminal justice professionals work to keep individuals and their property safe. This can include enforcing the laws, prosecuting offenders, or supervising inmates in jail or prison. It can also include protecting the nation from terroristic threats both from within the United States, as well as from foreign terrorist groups. When working with offenders, criminal justice offenders have the opportunity to help them turn their lives around and become prosocial members of the community. When this is successful, it is rewarding for the offender and their family and shows the criminal justice professionals who have helped to bring about the change that they are making a real difference in their community.

Q. What careers are available in New York to those who complete criminal justice degrees?

Students with a criminal justice degree can work in a variety of careers in New York. Law enforcement opportunities exist at the city, county, state and federal level. Local agencies include the New York Police Department, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (protecting public transit, bridges, tunnels, airports, and sea ports in the New York metropolitan area), local police departments and sheriff’s offices. State law enforcement opportunities include New York state troopers, environmental conservation, and criminal investigations. Several federal law enforcement agencies have offices in New York including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs and Border Patrol, Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals, Air Marshals, and Transportation Security Administration. Other law enforcement careers include private detective and/or private security work or specialized fields, such as cybersecurity or information security analysts. These careers often require additional specialized education.

Students who want to work in the criminal court system can go to law school and become either a prosecutor or defense attorney. They can also become judges at the local, state, or federal level. Other careers in the court system include paralegals, court clerks, and court officers charged with keeping the peace within the courtroom as well as transporting those accused of crimes between the court and jail.

Within corrections, students can find careers as a correctional officer in prisons, jails or juvenile detention centers. These careers can potentially lead to supervisory roles up to and including prison warden. For those interested in working with offenders in the community, careers in probation and parole are available at the state and federal level. Students can also find jobs in community residential placements, halfway houses, or working with private service providers who work with offenders such as mental health or substance abuse providers.

Q. What makes the criminal justice field unique in New York?

Unlike some states, a good number of the criminal justice careers in New York are governed by a fairly rigid civil service law. Job entry is often exam-based and hiring is done strictly according to this exam and list system. Of course, there are benefits and drawbacks to this style of hiring, but those choosing to enter this field should be prepared for basic testing in addition to having the appropriate educational background for their desired field of work. Also, the New York City metropolitan region in particular has arguably the most overlapping criminal justice related agencies anywhere in the nation. This unique environment brings employees from government and criminal justice careers in frequent contact with countless other agencies. An ability to collaborate is essential in a busy urban area with many criminal justice agencies and government jurisdictions like New York.

Q. How can students best prepare to enter the field?

Integrity and public trust are paramount in criminal justice work. Candidates for careers in this field would do best to keep this in mind from the earliest stages of young adulthood, as government jobs—particularly in law enforcement—will require the candidate to display outstanding moral character. Criminal record and arrest history, negative interactions with law enforcement, drug use, and other personal history that demonstrate poor ethical choices will be carefully scrutinized and can quickly curb one's aspirations for a career in criminal justice. Criminal justice students and those seeking employment must always keep this in mind, as it can be difficult to recover from past indiscretions like these.

Q. What qualities does someone need to be successful in a criminal justice-related job?

Most of the jobs in the criminal justice field center around public service. It is therefore no surprise that candidates are expected to display the highest integrity and the type of professionalism that the public demands from its criminal justice professionals. Also, a strong but diverse educational background is always an asset. Persons interested in this field should take advantage of as many educational and training opportunities as they can to build a well-rounded portfolio of experience. Beyond traditional undergraduate and post-graduate schooling, many government agencies offer training programs, many at no cost, that include topics such as emergency management, homeland security, terrorism awareness, emergency medicine, and crisis management, for example.

Q. Given the media reports on the amount of violence in big cities like New York City, should people who want to enter the criminal justice field be concerned about their safety?

Thankfully, there is little reason for career seekers to be concerned about their safety working or living in New York City. While violent crime is up in many large cities, New York has countered that trend and remains among the safest cities in the United States. In 2014 and 2015 we recorded two of the three lowest years in crime—including the lowest for murders since the 1950s. That trend has continued in the first half of this year. The decline in shootings is specifically noteworthy. While many American cities have experienced surges in shootings and murders, shootings in New York have dipped yet again—and are on track to hit an all-time low by the end of this year. Criminal justice students and career seekers have good reason to not only feel safe, but to be inspired by the successes in New York City. Playing a part in this continued success is part of what makes joining a worthwhile career of service in criminal justice so rewarding.