The following is an updated version of an article originally published on ColumbiaSouthern.edu and written by retired police Sgt. Thomas Dworak.
Criminal justice professionals are creative individuals. Focused and innovative solutions, founded in research, can guide us through the challenges we face.
As law enforcement officers, we can find these solutions by expanding our knowledge and challenging ourselves through education in criminal justice. Knowing what has been tried before is an important part of finding solutions, and formal education in criminal justice can provide that background.
Research-Based Training
Sir Robert Peel's nine principles of policing are as applicable today as they were in the 1800s, but they can be improved. We have come a long way in how we train our law enforcement and corrections officers, though we can always do better.
When we’re taught a technique or skill, we may be left wondering how to use it on the street in an active environment. As law enforcement professionals, we need documented, research-based training to lead us to positive change. A criminal justice degree will give you a solid base and drive you to ask, "That sounds right, but where is the research?"
Each generation of law enforcement and corrections officers leaves its mark on the criminal justice profession and the communities they serve. Be a change agent and help lead the next cultural shift in your criminal justice career.
Advance Your Career
Obtaining a criminal justice degree will provide personal and professional development, along with a feeling of pride and accomplishment. A criminal justice degree will impart the “why” to go with the “how” you already perform.
At Columbia Southern University, our faculty and graduates are innovators and industry leaders, influencing policy and moving the field of criminal justice forward. Our students learn about the judicial process, police and community relations, writing in criminal justice, technology trends, and more.
For more information about our online associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice, visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/CJ.
