The Concrete Jungle – Criminal Justice
Have you ever seen the television show Monk? I really like the show. He makes me laugh. I know the character drives some people nuts, so if you’re one of them, don’t worry. Keep reading.
Recently, I’ve been helping my sister find a new career, and I am constantly catching myself humming the Monk theme song: this world we love so much might just kill you, I could be wrong now, but I don’t think so – it’s a jungle out there.
It’s kind of an extreme song, but the tune jumps to mind as I help her scour the Internet for job openings. She has a bachelor’s degree in a specific area of expertise, an area of work in which she has lost interest. So, in essence, it’s a lot like starting out without an education. The only industry impressed with her degree is the industry she just left.
Right now, I’m currently (gently) pushing her in a new direction, because I’ve noticed a pattern. There seems to be several criminal justice jobs open. She thinks I’m bias, because I write for a criminal justice blog, but the longer we look, the more she believes me: the jobs are out there and many are in criminal justice.
For many of those positions, she wouldn’t have to go back to school or if she needed more schooling it would be just for a year or two with much of it online. (See, am I not persuasive?)
Monk is right; it is a jungle out there, so I think those of us who are job hunting should be thinking outside of the box. Unfortunately, our society has criminals, and therefore we have criminal justice jobs. My sister’s a smart woman. She’s a fast learner. I can see her excelling as a park ranger, a corrections officer, or a paralegal. I can even see her assisting jail administration.
More often than not these jobs promise fair wages, job security, and good benefits. Not something I can say about many other jobs. And helping others is part of your work.
Ultimately, of course, her career decisions are up to her, no matter how much I want to be the big sister. So I thought I should pass on my wisdom to the good readers of Job Search Jungle. As we look for jobs, let’s look where the jobs are, and don’t be quick to dismiss a field of study that might be great for us. Keep your eyes and mind open to all that the concrete jungle has to offer!
This guest post was written by Robin Merrill, who can usually be found researching the best criminal justice schools.
If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!
I got my A.A.S. in CJ and then transferred to a four year scoohl, switching to psychology. Then a masters in psychology. Finally, a Ph.D. in social psychology. What area of CJ interests you? Law enforcement? Security? Corrections? There is a lot you can do with CJ. But, if you want to go into law (an attorney), I’d recommend another major, or getting a minor in another area like english, accounting, or political science.