Experience Necessary: Criminal Justice Internships

Statistical data shows that the large majority ofjob-specific skills as proper gun use, legal report writing
criminal justice majors go on to work in related fields,and dealing with different types of people. Extra
making a good use of their education and on-the-jobtraining might also cover proper crime scene response,
training experience. Thus, internships and real-worldinvestigative techniques, new equipment training and
career experience are important elements of criminalcould involve shadowing an officer or investigator.
justice and criminology programs.Other training may involve, being a part of crime
Most students do not complete master’s programsprevention initiatives or participating in forensics
because their training within bachelor’s programsdemonstrations.
are quite comprehensive. According to The CollegeCommunication skills are also important; graduates are
Majors Handbook “more than three-quarters oflikely to eventually find themselves speaking to
criminal justice graduates participate in a trainingcriminals, victims, witnesses, attorneys, the media, other
session of some type.”officers and departments, etc. An ability to convey
Many criminal justice degree grads go on to workideas verbally and on paper is important, and as a
within the government in protective service jobs. Theyresult, according to The College Majors Handbook,
might be police, parole or court officers, security or“more than 1 in 3 majors undertake training
prison guards, special agents or detectives. Some godesigned to improve writing or public speaking skills.”
on to higher-tier (and higher-paying) managerial orThere are salary rewards for those who participate in
supervising positions with many stepping into the fieldextra, on-the-job training programs. In addition, criminal
of social work.justice or criminology program majors who take
Most criminal justice and criminology graduates, in orderadvantage of these opportunities get to experience life
to be successful once on the job, need to learn suchas a professional and build their resume.