Helpful Criminal Justice Articles

Cybersecurity Awareness Month Program Spotlight: Michigan State University’s Online M.S. in Law Enforcement Intelligence and Analysis Michigan State University’s online M.S. in Law Enforcement Intelligence and Analysis program is the culmination of collaborative efforts from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the National Institute of Justice, and nationally and internationally recognized […]

Neurocriminology: A Brief Introduction to a Complex Topic Brought to you by Concordia University, St. Paul – Criminal Justice Department By: Jerrod Brown, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Program Director, and lead developer for CSP’s Master of Arts in Human Services (with emphasis options in Forensic Behavioral Health or Trauma, Resilience, and Self-Care strategies.    Neurocriminology is […]

Why Criminal Justice? Why Concordia, Saint Paul? Brought to you by Concordia University, St. Paul – Criminal Justice Department By: Beth Glynn Chambers, PhD Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Criminal Justice The criminal justice system comprises a vast array of careers, from policing, the legal field, corrections, working with victims, etc., all stemming back to […]

Leadership: Emotional Intelligence and how the Mind Works Brought to you by Concordia University, St. Paul – Criminal Justice Department By: Janina Cich, MA Department of Criminal Justice, Chair Professor of Criminal Justice, Forensic Behavioral Health & Trauma, Resilience Self-Care Programs   Every day, informal and formal leader decisions can be transformed by managing emotions […]

Extraordinary Leaders Needed: The Rebirth of Leadership Effectiveness Brought to you by Concordia University, St. Paul – Criminal Justice Department By: Janina Cich, MA College of Human Services & Behavioral Science Department of Criminal Justice, Chair Professor of Criminal Justice, Forensic Behavioral Health & Trauma, Resilience Self-Care Programs Due to a rise in current-day crises […]

Concordia University, St. Paul – Department of Criminal Justice Scholars’ Forum Brought to you by Concordia University, St. Paul – Criminal Justice Department  In this series, CSP- Criminal Justice Department Chair, Janina Cich; Program Director, Jerrod Brown; and Assistant Professor Beth Glynn Chambers bring you unique insights on the latest science and emerging topics in […]

Serve First. Lead Second: Attributes of a SERVANT LEADER Brought to you by Concordia University, St. Paul – Criminal Justice Department By: Janina Cich, MA Department of Criminal Justice, Chair Professor of Criminal Justice, Forensic Behavioral Health & Trauma, Resilience Self-Care Programs Servant Leaders: Development & Growth Dedicated to the growth of others, servant leaders […]

Thinking About Your Return on Investment for a College Degree in Criminal Justice Return on investment isn’t a concept that gets applied a lot in the criminal justice field. No one argues about whether catching and prosecuting a murderer is cost-effective, or if it makes economic sense to crack down on jaywalking. Laws are enforced, […]

The State of Inmate Healthcare: Hope for the Future Healthcare for people in prisons and jails is a right. There have been a variety of initiatives in the past to support that right. In 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the deliberate act of ignoring the healthcare needs of inmates is cruel and unusual […]

Mental Health for First Responders The following experts contributed to our guide: Lisa Alizadeh, LPC Misty Springmeyer, Former Police Officer Police officers, firefighters, and emergency services personnel are the first ones to arrive at the scene of an emergency. Often, they have no idea what they’ll encounter when they get there or what steps they […]

The Online Job Search Guide for Criminal Justice Professionals For criminal justice professionals looking for careers, online job searches can be overwhelming. Yet in a world where the internet is “a near-universal resource” for landing a job, it’s crucial to edge out your competition by smoothly navigating everything from networking virtually to nailing the video […]

Landing a Law Enforcement Job: Insider Tips from Real Recruiters Featuring a roundtable Q&A with four law enforcement recruiters Mike Catalano, Recruiting and Training Officer for Lakeland Police Department (Florida) Hiring Manager for Maricopa County Judicial branch Stephanie Fredrickson, HR and Workforce Networking for Colorado Department of Corrections (Colorado) Jonathan Lowe, Backgrounds and Recruiting unit […]

Recommended Criminal Justice Professional Organizations We’ve reached out to the leading criminal justice educators and industry experts in the fields of corrections, law enforcement, loss prevention, and court systems to compile a list of highly recommended criminal justice professional organizations. These organizations were selected based on the benefits they provide to members, the cost to […]

Popular Jobs You Can Get With a Criminal Justice Degree When you think about careers in criminal justice, you likely think of jobs such as police officer, private investigator, or correctional officer. However, the opportunities don’t stop there. The field of criminal justice intersects with many other areas, such as psychology, business, and science. The […]

Women in Law Enforcement From the time the first ‘matrons’ were hired in the mid-1800s to oversee female inmates, women have continued proving they belong in the field of law enforcement. In the decades since, women have climbed the ladder to the highest levels of authority and prestige in this field. Today, women enjoy successful […]

Resources for Correctional Officers The following list of resources was compiled by a corrections officer, for correctional officers. The list covers a range of topics that include trends in corrections, professional development, professional organizations, moral support for corrections employees and their families, best practices, and safety concerns. The resources span different types of media, including […]

How Forensic Science Might Free Steven Avery Steven Avery gained worldwide popularity after a Netflix true crime documentary called Making a Murderer debuted in December of 2015. The Steven Avery story’s incredible because following his release after 18 years in prison for an assault he didn’t commit, he was convicted of a crime for which […]

The History of Criminal Profiling A career made popular in recent years thanks to movies and shows like Criminal Minds and Netflix’s Mindhunter, criminal profiling is much more complicated than crime drama TV shows make it out to be. The real cases that John E. Douglas and his colleagues faced transformed the field, shaping it […]

Pros and Cons of Private Prisons There are two main types of prison systems in the US: public and private. They vary in how they’re run and funded, the rehabilitation efforts they offer, the types of inmates they house, and the level of security each require. Compare private and public prisons to see what working […]

Criminal Justice Colleges: 3 Tips for Finding the Right School Near You Finding the right school for you can be tricky. You need to make sure your college selection is worth the time and money you invest so after graduation your degree will set you up for a lucrative criminal justice career. Since salaries and […]

Criminal Justice Jobs in the Different Branches of the CJ System With various government agencies and institutions and many different types of career paths, multiple jobs encompass the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system is made up of three main branches, each with their own goal to combat crime: The court system and accompanying […]

Criminal Justice Reform and Why America Needs It With higher numbers of Americans in the criminal justice system than ever, criminal justice reform has become a dire necessity. To successfully reform the system, changes need to be made to end harsh policies and racial profiling among other issues. Learn why criminal justice reform is so […]

The War on Drugs: History and Facts If you live in the United States, you may have heard about the war on drugs at some point. The war has been going on for decades, as America fights to keep drugs from entering the nation and cracks down on drug users in the country. In recent […]

Frequently Asked Questions about Forensic Psychology – Answered! A forensic psychologist has typically completed either a master’s or doctorate degree and uses their education and psychology knowledge to delve into criminal behavior. They strive to understand what makes some people commit crimes, and they work with the criminal justice and legal systems in their communities […]

5 Criminal Justice Doctoral Degrees Criminal justice doctoral degrees lead to higher-paying roles in research and leadership in the field, and they typically take around four years to complete. Applicants may be required to hold a bachelor or master’s degree in criminal justice for admission (among other requirements to qualify). Earning your doctorate degree takes […]

Criminal Justice Graduate Jobs A graduate degree can bring new opportunities, but getting a master’s degree requires investments of time, money, and effort. If you do some career planning and learn about the types of criminal justice graduate jobs available, you can make an informed decision as to whether or not it’s the right move […]

Real Life Dexter: How to Become a Blood Spatter Analyst The hit Showtime series “Dexter” centered on a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer. While the show is based on fiction, the job is very real and harder than Dexter makes it seem (probably due to his […]

2018 Crime Scene Investigator Jobs Thanks to big shows like NCIS, Criminal Minds or CSI, many people are interested in finding lucrative crime scene investigator jobs. These shows make the job look exciting and keep you on the edge of your seat while you watch, but the daily duties of crime scene investigators are really […]

Forensic Analysts, Forensic Evidence, and the Hunt for the Golden State Killer The Golden State Killer, or GSK for short, is a serial killer who evaded authorities for over thirty years, was recently caught thanks to new and unconventional forensic science methods involving DNA evidence and the wide-reaching power of the internet. According to an […]

Top Police Academies in the US Just as lawyers go to law school and soldiers complete basic training, aspiring police officers must pass through a specialized training program and proving ground of their own: police academy. A good police academy will challenge your limits both physically and mentally, but the experience is a transformational rite […]

How Long Does it Take to Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice? If you’ve found this article it’s likely because you’re wondering “How long does it take to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice?” Well, like most bachelor’s degrees, earning your diploma in criminal justice will most likely take about four years. You […]

How to Become a Judge If you’re interested in the field of law but aren’t sure if being a lawyer is the perfect fit for you, don’t worry! There are many opportunities in the legal field outside of being a lawyer. One career that is worth striving for is to become a judge. As a […]

Things To Know About Working As A Police Officer People who are driven to help our society become more civil, and feel a sense of duty to protect others, might consider a career as a police officer. We only have to look at the news for a few minutes to find real life examples of […]

What Are Consent Decrees? There are a slew of criminal justice advocacy organizations and other individuals concerned about the latest stance by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions with regards to consent decrees. Sessions has gone on record as being vehemently against them being in use in cities, which falls in line with his stance of […]

The Secrets (And Not-So-Secret Aspects) of Working tor the Secret Service Everyone has watched a Hollywood action movie and pictured themselves in the role of the hero. We’ve all seen the movies that depict the President taking matters into their own hands and saving America from the bad guys. But in reality, we all know […]

Working as a Police Officer People who are driven to help our society become more civil, and feel a sense of duty to protect others, should consider a career as a police officer. We only have to look at the news for a few minutes to find real life examples of how dangerous the job […]

Guide to Earning a Criminal Justice Scholarship It doesn’t matter what field or industry you want to work in, the question of how to pay for your education is always a major consideration. Even if you are financially secure, you have to weigh several choices when paying for school. Here we’ll discuss a variety of […]

Five of the Most Interesting and Intelligent Crimes Committed by Women Simply put, it’s really hard to list the most interesting and intelligent crimes women have committed throughout history. While men tend to get more attention, historically, female criminals are masterminds in their own right. In this list, we chose the following femme fatales for […]

5 New Forensic Science Tools and Technology Forensic Science is the key to solving crimes all over the world. Without it, we would be stuck in the days of Sherlock Holmes, relying on less reliable evidence to reach conclusions about life and death situations. With advances in forensic technology, law enforcement has more tools and […]

Mental Health Issues in Criminal Justice We’d like to believe prisons are for criminals, mental health facilities are for people with mental illnesses, and the two never meet. Yet the reality is more complicated; our criminal justice system is overwhelmed by people with mental health issues. Here’s how it works: When most people see a […]

What Does Reducing the Use of Private Prisons Mean for Inmates? With the recent news that the government is beginning to phase out the use of private prisons for inmates, many are speculating on what this means for the industry and for inmates. Once the announcement from the Department of Justice began circulating in the […]

Is Police Violence on the Rise? In recent months, we have seen many news stories about police shootings, and shootings of civilians by police officers. While many of these stories have been controversial, what do the numbers say? Some people would argue that the use of social media, and number of citizens with videophones just […]

A Day in the Life of a Paralegal If you’re wondering ‘why should I become a paralegal?’ or ‘what do paralegals do?’ then let’s talk about the job functions, salary and career potential that’s in store for those who become qualified. While there isn’t a set education path for those who work as paralegals, the […]

How Realistic Are TV Crime Shows We all know that crimes don’t get solved in a matter of thirty minutes with two commercial breaks, and that justice always prevails. But we get hooked on crime shows these days partly because we are intrigued by all the technology we see being used to analyze evidence. We […]

What Can You Do With A Homeland Security Degree? The topics of terrorism and homeland security have become part of our national dialogue and news cycle since the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. If you are thinking about a law enforcement degree and wondering ‘what does homeland security do,’ then continue […]

Why Earn Your Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice? Written by Brendon ONeill If you are asking yourself “What can I do with a criminal justice degree?” there are many career paths you can pursue when you finish your master’s level education. Students who already have their bachelor’s degree may choose to complete a graduate level […]

Social Media as a Tool for Law Enforcement Social media has been a part of our everyday lives for several years now, and has many uses for individuals, businesses, and even government agencies. Law enforcement and government services agencies use Facebook and Twitter for a variety of reasons in our interconnected world. We mostly think […]

Solving the Mysteries of CIA Agent Careers Film, books and television have played significant roles in creating the myths and mysteries surrounding careers in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). From James Bond (even though he works for the MI6) to Jason Bourne, the life of CIA agents, spies, government assassins, and undercover operatives fascinates a […]

Cyber Security is a Growing IT Career Path It seems that with every 24 hour news cycle we hear about a new data breach or security vulnerability that can have serious consequences for national interests, consumers, and businesses of all kinds. With more and more sensitive information being stored electronically, including credit card, healthcare, and […]

Famous Unsolved Murders and Crimes that Still Leave Us Wondering The advances in forensics technology have made ‘the perfect crime’ almost impossible to pull off in modern times, even for the most brilliant, diabolical criminal minds. With DNA evidence and connected databases that law enforcement can use to track and match criminals, it’s no wonder […]

Roles of Advocates in the Juvenile Justice System Advocates, especially for juveniles, are essential players in a just and effective criminal justice system. The role of the advocate is to speak up for people in situations where the advocate is either more knowledgeable, will suffer no consequences by speaking out, or where they can act […]

Defining Terrorism Terrorism is one of the hardest terms to define because everyone has their own different, personal perspectives of what terrorism entails. Many people have the explanation that they “know it when they see it” but in this day and age, it really is essential to define the term in order to prevent discriminatory […]

Learn How to Become a Law Enforcement Officer With so many popular television programs revolving around crime scene investigation, prison culture and police dramas; many misconceptions of law enforcement careers are floating around. While the shows are meant to entertain, many of them also compel viewers to become police officers, detectives and investigators. If you, […]

Crisis Intervention Teams In Law Enforcement Written by Chelsea Dunning Role of Crisis Intervention Teams in Policing Communities With the recent trends in mental health there seems to be a goal of working towards ending the negative stigma associated with mental illness. In addition, changes have been made in some communities regarding how police departments […]

Components of the US Criminal Justice System Law Enforcement, Courts and Corrections in the US Justice System The United States criminal justice system is broken down into three different parts, each with a different focus of the law and dealing with criminals in a different stage of their criminal activity. If you are currently in […]

Five Interesting Facts to Know About Digital Forensics By Ryan Lerminiaux From computers to cell phones and MP3 players, technology truly is everywhere these days. As technology continues to grow, so will the careers associated with it. In criminal justice, that career is digital forensics from computer investigation to e-discovery and computer security. Below are […]

Is a Criminal Justice Degree Really Worth It? Everyone’s first thought when deciding whether or not to go to college is, “Can I afford it?” The real question is, can you afford not to? As college degrees become more attainable for the average Joe, they have also become required by more employers. Companies want the […]

10 Things Every New Police Officer Needs to Know Former police officer Peter Moskos contributed to this article It should go without saying that policing isn’t like what you see on TV shows and in the movies. But it’s not so easy to understand what policing is like without real-world experience. Below is a list […]