Criminology, completely useless?

BIGeastBEAST
Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:43:20 +0000

First, you need to be a US citizens prior to applying for the position. If you aren’t you are ineligible.

Second, even if you did get your citizenship, the chances of you being hired are slim, because foreigners are rarely provided with a security clearance, which is needed to work as a 1811, criminal investigators.

Anti-terrorism, and some of the other things you mentioned aren’t entry-level positions, and you willl need a security clearance that you can’t get.

To work as an 0132 Intel Analyst doesn’t require a LE/police or military background, but most competitive applicants will have that experience, thus putting your chances at pretty slime. Plus, you need a security clearance that you can’t get. Also, in the US Veterans receive 10 perference points when applying to government jobs, which you also don’t have. Some individuals are hired as analysts without military/LE experience but they possess a critical skill. For example, they have a PHD with years of research and have published work on some obscure part of the world, language, oragnization, ect. In short, it’s nothing that you get from criminal justice. A CJ degree is fine, as long as it is combined with proper experience, LE/military. Without that sort of experience, it’s not going to open any doors that you are hoping to walk into.

Threat assessments are often done by private contractors, but they only hirer former government/military people with security clearances with experience doing the work. Not reading about it in a book. Typically, they are 20 year vets of the military or LE agency and are working as a consultant or using the job to pad their pension. No company is going to hire a college kid whos never performed the job.

Thirdly, you should not say things like, “simple beat policeman or serviceman”, if you use language like that in the states you will get a black eye. Those “simple” police officers working our streets have a very difficult job (one that you admit you are to scared to do), and deserve respect. Double ditto, to our servicemen. We have been fighting two ongoing wars and have lost thousands of good, “simple” servicemen, many with families and bright futures. Don’t insult their service by referring to them, their job, or their duty as “simple”, because someone has to do the job, and you already said the “danger” is to much for you. To bad, so sad - we don’t want people like you working with us.

As I stated, every agent is expected to sacrifice for the job, meaning nights, holidays, weekends, and yes - put themselves in danger.

If you want to work as an analyst, go join your military and become an intelligence analyst or intelligence officer. That’s how people get started. If the danger scares you, or you can’t handle being away from your family - go find a different career.

There is no clear cut path to become an analyst or federal agent, the needs of agencies change year to year and what they want today may be different tomorrow. However, the best route is becoming a police officer, then becoming a detective/specialized unit or become an officer in the military - which I feel is better because you have the possibility to get exposed to intel collection and practices, security policy, deployment experience, a security clearance, and lateral options.

Other careers that criminal justice degrees are good for is corrections, probation, and social work.

If you want to be an analyst, go sign up to be one.

[Canadian Forces Recruiting - Job Explorer](http://www.forces.ca/html/intelligenceofficer_reg_en.aspx)