I am interested in getting a masters degree in the criminal justice field but i don’t want to have a gun?
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T asked:
i am really interested in criminology; however, i really do not like guns. i would really not feel comfortable in a career where a gun is required. it seems like every job position in criminal justice requires a gun (at least in America). is this true? are there any positions that i could work at with a masters degree in cj without having to have a gun? i am not interested in the legal field (i don’t want to be a lawyer).
i am really interested in criminology; however, i really do not like guns. i would really not feel comfortable in a career where a gun is required. it seems like every job position in criminal justice requires a gun (at least in America). is this true? are there any positions that i could work at with a masters degree in cj without having to have a gun? i am not interested in the legal field (i don’t want to be a lawyer).
thanks!
Darrien
December 27th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Criminology is pretty much a junk degree that cops get to complete requirements for promotion. You should be asking your school exactly what can be done with the degree.
December 27th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
It appears you choose the wrong course of study……did you think of that before your set yourself up……..put it this way….a masters degree in criminal justice with no experience and reluctance or out right refusal to fit the mold will assure you a place in the unemployment line……..sorry.
December 29th, 2009 at 1:07 am
I stumbled across this question randomly, and am hardly qualified to answer it but… You’re interested in working against crime, but you don’t want to be near guns, and you don’t want to get into law?
Practically every field in the history of the world requires you to be either in the field or behind a desk. In the field requires you to have a gun, behind the desk, you need to know your law.
The only position I can imagine is some sort of secretary job working for a police station.. Or really misc fields like forensics or something.
January 1st, 2010 at 12:59 pm
First things first Criminology and Criminal Justice are two different fields - similar, but not the same:
AND…
There are numerous careers in Criminal Justice and Criminology that don’t require you to have a gun:
1. you can teach - high school, community college, and university level with a Master’s degree (a PhD is preferable)
2. you can work in forensics - I would take a Master’s in CJ with a Forensics program, or a Master’s in Forensic Science.
3. you can work as a researcher at a private firm, university, or a government agency
4. you can work as a correction officer - usually no gun is require while working close with inmates, but gun training may be imposed
5. you can work as a youth counselor
6. you can work as a probation officer
7. you can work in private security as a consultant or private eye (PI)
8. you can work as a substance abuse counselor
9. you can work in local, county, state, and federal government
10. you can work in academia or for yourself
Now, the question that you should ask yourself is the Criminal Justice or Criminology Master’s degree right for you? It may not be, as your criterion — not to carry a gun — may diminish the pool of careers available to you.
Consider the following options for a Master’s degree while considering CJ or Criminology:
- Political Science - there are concentrations like National Security and Transnational Crime which may be of interest to you.
- Forensic Sciences - requires that you learn more science core courses - concepts of physics, biology, and chemistry are very present.
Hope this helps.
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:05 pm
I actually have an M.S. in Criminology, and I can pretty much state that you should not get it unless you know what you want to do with it. Most of the people who get this degree are already employed by a federal agency (local PD, Probations, etc.) and are looking to climb the ladder. Some are interested in teaching (which is why I got mine) and would likely go on to get their PhD. From your question, it is difficult to tell if you already have a degree in CJ, or if you are just starting out. But assuming you have a degree, you may want to get a more ‘friendly’ MS such as Public Administration - which fits into a number of different career paths, but still leaves criminal justice open.