Careers in Criminal Justice

Realistic Goals

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

• Career development

• Like climbing a ladder, the process involves a

beginning step.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

The two factors that affect your happiness the most

Relationships
Relationships Job
Job

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

• The self assessment tests you complete can

show a multitude of information if you actively
seek it.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

• How does a person choose a career that has not

had these learning opportunities?

• How do you know what you can be good at if

you haven’t tried it?

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

• A popular quote from Laurence J. Peter (1919 -

1988) goes like this:

“If you don’t know where you are going,

you’ll probably end up somewhere else.”

In 2007, David P. Campbell published

"If You Don't Know Where You're Going,
You'll Probably End Up Somewhere Else:
Finding a Career and Getting a Life."
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 Careers in Criminal Justice

• Campbell puts assets in this order of importance for

having the greatest impact on your future choices:

1. Talents and Skills

2. Intellectual Intelligence
3. Emotional Intelligence
4. Education
5. Friends
6. Family
7. Experiences
8. Appearance
9. Health

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

• Consider some of the popular talent shows such

as American Idol, America’s Got Talent, and So You
Think You Can Dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y9uDprfeew

In-class exercise – goal setting and assets

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

In-class exercise – goal setting and assets

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

• There are special talents and skills specific to

particular jobs in the criminal justice field.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

Issues in the Law Enforcement

•Law Enforcement:
• Some of the toughest scenario based questions that are
asked in a hiring interview involve some kind of discretionary
decision.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

Issues in the Judicial System

To be a lawyer, you will need a four year bachelor

degree, followed by three years of law school and
then the successful passing of a complex Bar exam
that qualifies you in the state you wish to practice

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 Careers in Criminal Justice
• In a hiring interview for a position in the criminal
justice system or at a private law firm, you will want
to demonstrate your confidence, assertiveness,
control, and poise.
• Likeability is important for all jobs, but the law field
is very competitive and the hirer needs to know you
can do the job.
• Find that balance between confidence and
zealousness.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

Power and Responsibility

• Prosecutors have tremendous power in the

criminal justice system, especially over the police
departments in their jurisdiction.

• Judges have a great deal of power, responsibility,

and control over the trial and some discretionary
leeway in sentencing.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

Issues in Corrections
•Corrections is a field that doesn’t routinely conduct
polygraph tests as part of the hiring process.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

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 Careers in Criminal Justice
Alternative Correctional Careers
Probation officer
Juvenile Probation

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

The Realities of Working in Criminal Justice

• Being realistic and being negative aren’t the same
things.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

Change

• How we should approach our strategy for change?

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

The Search for Happiness

• One approach to setting goals is to choose a place

where you want to end up and then work as hard as
you can to get there.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

The Search for Happiness

• An alternative approach is like that of a sophomore
pole vaulter.

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 Careers in Criminal Justice

The Search for Happiness

Consider the old saying “The grass always looks greener on
the other side of the fence.” It only makes sense that
someone younger or less fortunate than you is standing at
their fence looking into your yard? If you do jump the fence
to greener pastures, bask in the success before you look
over the next fence and find an even greener color.
Remember, you eventually need to lay down your blanket and
enjoy your picnic before it gets dark and the color of the
grass doesn’t matter anymore.

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