Criminal Justice
What Police Officers Do
The duties of a police officer largely depend on where they are located. In large cities, officers are usually given very specific job duties or will be assigned to a fraud, murder, drug-trafficking, or rape unit. Each unit has a specific goal, and the officers within the unit are trained solely for that objective.
Police officers in rural areas rarely have the opportunity to specialize in any given area of law enforcement. Due to lower crime rates and the relatively small population, officers in townships, co-ops, and other rural areas take care of any or all law enforcement tasks, from simple traffic infractions to child protection or murder cases.
A police officer's primary duty is to maintain public order. Patrol officers on foot, in a car, or even on horseback spend their days dealing with people who break the law. There are the typical traffic violations that need to be dealt with, of course, but police officers also receive calls to investigate burglaries or other serious crimes.
Work Enviroment
Police officers rarely work a regular, 40-hour week. Officers work late at night, on the weekends, and even on holidays. Most police officers work outdoors while on patrol, and are subjected to all types of weather conditions. Police work is also mentally gruelling. Officers often witness terrible crimes or become the focus of a criminal's rage and abuse. Police officers must handle the stress brought on by these situations while remaining calm and collected.
Working as a police officer can bring on a range of emotions. It can leave you feeling satisfied, sad, rewarded, disgruntled, lonely and fulfilled, all within the same shift. A police officer needs to be a warrior, an information booth, a social worker, a guardian angel, a marriage counselor, and an arbitrator (just to name a few). The mental challenges are far more rigorous than all of the physical challenges put together.
When stranded on the highway in the middle of nowhere, there’s no more welcome sight than the red and blue lights of a highway patrol cruiser. Rescuing stranded motorists is not the only duty of a state trooper, however. Although his or her main responsibility is to ensure public safety on the state’s roadways, a highway patrol officer’s job is like that of a deputy or municipal police officer. They patrol their assigned areas, enforce traffic laws, deal with accidents and other emergencies, and provide safety programs for the public. State troopers serve across the state, from rural communities to their state’s capitol city.
A state trooper generally works out of their vehicle, responding to situations as they arise. Although troopers may spend a portion of their shifts sitting in their vehicles as they wait for calls, watching for dangerous situations or driving to different locations, they also have to be physically able to spend hours on their feet. State troopers may also have to lift people who are unable to walk or physically interact with those who become violent, such as those who are under the influence or are angry.
State law enforcement agencies employ troopers to patrol the highways, interstates and other state-controlled roads to maintain safety. Troopers have to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, although they are assigned shifts. Some state troopers work during the day, while others must work at night. The equipment used in this role includes firearms and other weapons for protection, flashlights, and cameras to photograph crime scenes.
Correctional officers oversee those who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been sentenced to serve time in jail or prison. Bailiffs are law enforcement officers who maintain safety and order in courtrooms.
Working in a correctional institution can be stressful and dangerous. Correctional officers and jailers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, often resulting from confrontations with inmates. Officers work in shifts that cover all hours of the day and night, including weekends and holidays. Bailiffs’ hours are determined by when court is in session.
Most law enforcement chief executives are looking for ways to establish an agency culture of professionalism, effectiveness, and personal growth, that's why Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST), and the Utah Peace Officers Association (UPOA) have developed CJ 2020, a command level college course, which is timely, relevant, and cost effective.
What Criminal Scientists Do
What Crime Scene Investigators Do
Crime scene investigators are specially trained members of law enforcement agencies, government or civilian crime labs who collect physical forensic evidence from crime scenes and use scientific methods and technology to process material evidence and interpret findings in order to assist both the investigative and judicial sides of the criminal justice system in the process of solving crimes and securing convictions.
The glorification of crime scene investigators, thanks to a number of popular television shows, has brought this profession in to the spotlight and spurred many individuals to seek careers in this area of forensic science. Although careers for crime scene investigator may not be as sensational as nighttime television shows make them out to be, they are, for the right individuals, incredibly rewarding and gratifying.
The work environment varies for crime scene investigators. They must visit crime scenes and collaborate with police officers and detectives to collect and assist with gathering evidence, but they also may assist with forensic science technicians in the lab.
Crimes happen at any time, so just like police officers, crime scene investigators should expect to work at any time. They will have fixed schedules and fixed times when they are on call, but those times can be anything from regular business hours to weekends to the middle of the night.
What Fingerprint Technicians Do
As a fingerprint technician, your duties involve reviewing electronic fingerprints databases, performing on-site live scan fingerprinting to capture a person’s fingerprints or other biometric data at an airport or other port of entry, and operating an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to record and organize data. Some fingerprint technicians work in a forensic capacity. In this field, you examine and process fingerprints on behalf of law enforcement or national security agencies to match fingerprints to evidence found at crime scenes. You can also operate and monitor biometric scanning systems for security purposes.
Fingerprint technicians usually work in an office environment with fingerprinting equipment and computers to view fingerprints electronically, especially when using fingerprints for civil purposes. They may sit for long periods of time, poring over visual images of fingerprints. However, in criminal cases, they could be called to a crime scene to acquire fingerprints, or to a court of law to testify on details of fingerprints used in a case.
A criminal profiler is part of the investigative team and uses specialized techniques and training to identify suspects. Criminal profilers, also known as criminal investigative analysts, compile and compare data from similar crimes and offenders to create a profile of a suspect. They form logical hypotheses based on witness reports, victim testimony and crime scene evidence. Criminal profilers often lead investigations as they study the nature of a crime, analyze the clues left behind and interview witnesses to inform their conclusions.
Work Enviroment
Profilers may work for local law enforcement agencies and forensic experts. Most criminal profilers are employed by the FBI in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) and work in the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) in Quantico, VA. Some profilers may also work for the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms to identify arsonists and bombers.
What Private Investigators Do
Private detectives and investigators search for information about legal, financial, and personal matters.
Private detectives and investigators work in many places, depending on their assignment or case. Some spend more time in offices, researching cases on computers, while others spend more time in the field, conducting interviews and performing surveillance. Private detectives and investigators often work irregular hours.
Training Programs at UVU
UVU Criminal Justice Programs
Students in Criminal Justice may receive a Certificate of Proficiency in Law Enforcement Academy, an Associate in Science Degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, or a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forensic Science.
Total Program Credits: 60
Criminal Justice Certificate of Proficiency
The Certificate of Proficiency in Criminal Justice is available for all UVU students with a particular focus designed to provide high school students an opportunity to obtain a certificate of proficiency with a focus on a Career and Technical Education (CTE) field while still enrolled in high school that will stack into certificates and associate degrees at UVU. This certificate will be available from the University for college students/adults looking for entry-level skills leading to further academic advancement and learn more about the criminal justice field.
Total Program Credits: 15
Training Programs at SLCC
Two degrees are offered in the program: an associate of science degree for students who plan to transfer to a four-year program, and an associate of applied science degree for students who plan to go directly into the field. Transfer students should check with an advisor in selection of General Education and elective options to coordinate with the appropriate academic track at the transfer institution.
5 semesters
A Criminal Justice education prepares students for a career and higher education options included, but Criminal justice is one of the largest domestic industries in the United States, consequently criminal justice and criminology is one of the fastest growing fields of study, with a high success rate of graduates finding jobs within the field. With this highly sought-after degree by the global work force, students find professional career opportunities in, but not limited to, law enforcement, drug rehabilitation counseling, law, academia, public administration, business administration, nonprofit administration, legal observation, human rights, corrections, lobbying, politics, homeland security, probation and parole, youth mentorship, legal aid, social work, therapy, agency management, program coordination, criminal investigation, judge and courts, prison education, suicide prevention, ballistics, crime journalism, blood spatter analysis, computer forensics, latent print examination, crime laboratory analysis, crime laboratory technician, crime scene investigation, crime scene photography, forensics pathology, victim and survivor advocacy, counterterrorism, human security, novelist, community organizer, corrections, and criminal psychology.
65 Credits
Students who complete an AAS degree in Criminal Justice can still transfer their courses to the university where they may apply towards major course requirements or electives depending on the institutional review. Students who complete an AS degree in Criminal Justice at SLCC may satisfy pre-major courses and transfer more easily to other Criminal Justice programs across the State of Utah. The following institutions offer degrees in Criminal Justice: Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Weber State University, Southern Utah University, and Dixie State University.