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What misconceptions do students have before enrolling in the Criminal Justice program?

Dr. Yu:ÌýThat’s a great question. Most people are likely to have a limited or incorrect picture of what the field of criminal justice is actually like. This is because their perceptions are shaped by dramatized portrayals in films and on television. You’re likely to see a lot more “action” on the screen than you see in reality, where more time is spent with paperwork and other documentation than you’d ever see in a movie. YouÌýmay well see some exciting days in the field, but attention to detail, patience, and strong organizational skills areÌýwhat you’ll likelyÌýbe usingÌýon a daily basis.

What other skills are needed to be successful in the field?

Dr. Yu:ÌýProfessionals in criminal justice need to have anÌýunderstanding of law, human psychology, social and economic structures, and organizational behavior, at the very least. ÌýThis is partially why people enter the criminal justice field from such variedÌýbackgrounds. It appeals to a wide variety of students, and different areas of knowledge and interest can contribute to being successful in this field.

Criminal justice professionalsÌýare expected to conduct themselves with integrity, empathy, common sense, discernment, courage, and sometimes even skill in finance, depending on their job. ÌýThey need to be in good mental and physical condition. They also need strong written and verbal communication skills. ÌýYou may not think that writing and speaking are the most important tools that law enforcement officers have in their arsenal, but they are.

They must also, of course, be law-abiding citizens with a clean past.

Where can you work with a degree in criminal justice?

Dr. Yu:ÌýYou can find employment opportunities in the fields of investigation, security, legal assistance, intelligence analysis, and research and academia. ÌýMany graduates end up working with or within police departments. But you could also be working with defense contractors, consulting firms, intelligence agencies, orÌýFortune 500 companies. There are a lot of great opportunities out there.

What kind of changes have you observed in the criminal justice field?

Dr. Yu: Changes in the field areÌýgradual but constant. That’s a positive thing,Ìýas problems with the criminal justice system are identified and addressed. One of the problemsÌýgetting a lot of focus right nowÌýis high recidivism, which is a person’s relapse into criminal behavior. is a huge reason for this, so changes are being considered that couldÌýopen employment opportunities for the formerly incarcerated.

Have you seen much change in the crimes that are being reported and responded to? ÌýHow have criminal justice professionals responded?

Dr. Yu: While crime has always existed, it has been changing with globalization and advances of technology. New criminal justice fields areÌýsurfacing and growing in response to changes. Demand for cyber security specialists, for example, is predicted to rapidly grow as cyber crime is evolving and becoming more sophisticated in techniques.

These specialists have become vital members of the criminal justice profession. They are equipped with specialized knowledge of analysis, forensics, and reverse engineering. They design and implement information security programs to protect government and other organizations against various internet threats, such as malware, viruses, phishing, hacking, and information warfare.

What is one piece of advice you would offer to those interested in the field?

Dr. Yu: Tomorrow’s professionals need to be prepared for changes. Similar to entrepreneurs who anticipate changes in markets and public demand for goods and services, aspiring criminal justice professionals must understand what drives crime and anticipate changes in society. Interested students should considerÌýhow they can impact society and establish a long, productive career in the field of criminal justice.

One field that is closely related to criminal justice is criminology. How closely? About half of college students studying to become police officers confused the two. to find out why that is, and to learn more about the difference. If Ìýyou have any additional questions you would like us to ask our facultyÌýin the future, please don’t hesitate to news [at] csuglobal.edu (get in touch).

AboutÌýDr. Olivia Yu:

Dr. Olivia Yu has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a Ph.D. in Sociology.ÌýHer full-time career in higher education began in 1993 as a member of the criminal justice faculty at the Utica College of Syracuse University (UC), New York. She later accepted anÌýoffer to join theÌýfaculty at the University of Texas, San Antonio (UTSA) in 2001 as an escape from the long, snowy months in upstate New York.

HerÌýexperience with distance learning and online programs in higher education started in the mid-1990s, and she has since designed online courses for programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has taught both ground and online undergraduate and graduate courses in sociology, criminal justice, public administration, and quantitative research methods.

She has served asÌýthe Criminal Justice program coordinator at ³Ô¹ÏÁÔÆæ Global since 2011.ÌýIn 2014, Dr. Yu received the ³Ô¹ÏÁÔÆæ Global Excellent Graduate Teaching Award.