The Study of Criminology (Criminologist) | Complete Career Info

 

If you are one of that person who is seeking for the challenging and dynamic career option. And want to make the world a better place to live. Then it might be an exalted and enthralling career choice for you to study criminology.

Criminology got the first measure intention around the world in 1885. In the past, an Italian law Professor Raffaele Garofalo introduce the term Criminologia, which we today knew as Criminology.

From 1885 the crimes are growing like fire. Therefore our society needs a person who has good knowledge about the criminal activities. And helps the federal and government agencies to reduce the increasing crime rates using their skills and criminology.

A criminologist does not use brute force to handle the criminals.  They do not approach criminal and victim directly (most of the cases).

If you want to make your career in criminology, or just want to know about the criminology as a career option.

This article will help you in every aspect either you want to determine (Or) want to get the complete details about how to get into criminology. And how to become a criminologist.

Here’s how I am going to make it easy for you to determine. Is the study of criminology an appropriate career option for me or not?

You will get to know! About these things…

  • Career scope in the criminology
  • What do you learn in criminology?
  • What do you do with a criminology degree?
  • Where can you get admissions to pursue criminology?
  • Career opportunities after completing criminology degree.
  • What is criminology and why should I pursue this career?
  • Which are the skills required to become a good criminologist
  • Required Education and how long does it take to become a criminologist.

 

What is criminology all about?


Criminology is one of the major sub-categories of sociology (Sociology is the study of society). Criminology provides many methods to detect the crimes and prevent the crimes from happening. 

What is a crime?

According to the government authority’s definition; crime is the violation of the Law and policies, which sets by societies.

There are lots of different types of crimes present in the societies, such as…

Arson Murder Mugging
Hit and run Property Crime Tax fraud
Manslaughter White Collar Crime Terrorism
Gambling Child pornography Aggravated Assault
Illegal Drugs Political Crime Money Laundering
Sexual Assault Theft & Robbery Human trafficking

 

What will you learn in criminology?


Criminology gives us the answer and methods to the crimes related queries and issues, such as…

  • How to prevent crimes?
  • What causes crimes?
  • Why does crime happen?
  • Why do people commit a crime?
  • What is the nature of the crime?
  • Who commits a crime and why?
  • How do societies deal with the crimes?
  • How should we explain and respond to crime?
  • What is the impact of crime on the societies and victim?
  • What are suitable policies and method to decrease the crime rate?

Other than the above overwhelming questions, you will also learn about these subjects and methods.

  • Terrorism
  • Victimology
  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Justice
  • Sexual Offences
  • Human behaviour
  • Psychology of crime
  • Community violence
  • Miscarriage of justice
  • Environmental Crimes
  • Cyber Crime and threat
  • Security and surveillance
  • Crime against humanities
  • Global and International crime
  • Contemporary and historical crime
  • Penology and correctional administration

This is not wrong to say criminology is one of the dynamic and fascinating career options available for the candidates. Because what you will learn in the theory (Books) is directly applied and affect the real world and to the real people.

Eventually, in a single sentence, you can define Criminology that; Criminology is the study of why a person commits crimes.

 

Education requirement to become a Criminologist


[Step 1] Mandate Education: High School from Arts/Science

 

[Step 2] Mandate Education: Bachelors in degree in any of the Arts/ Science discipline

                Mandate Education- Diploma or an Associate degree in criminology related programmes

                                                                            (OR)

[Step 2] Mandate Education: Bachelors in Criminology or any criminology related programmes.

Criminology related programmes are following…

Bachelor of Laws (LLB) | Bachelor of Psychology |Bachelor of Cyber Security |Bachelor of Forensic Science |Bachelor of criminal justice | Bachelor of sociology |Bachelor of Social Science | Bachelor of justice studies

 

[Step 3] Optional Education: Master’s Degree

You can do your masters in

  • Criminology
  • Forensic Psychology
  • Criminology & Criminal Justice
  • Criminology & Criminal Psychology
  • Forensic Archeology
  • Cybercrime and Digital Investigation
  • Applied Social Research (Criminology)
  • International Crimes and Criminology
  • Youth Justice, Community Safety and Applied Criminology

 

[Step 4] Optional Education: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Criminology/ Sociology/ Law and Society

 

After completing Step 2 education you can start doing entry-level jobs in criminologyAlthough most of the criminologist preferred to go for the jobs after done Step 3 education (Masters in Criminology).

In the few years, many universities and institution include criminology in their academics as a separate degree. Because of the increasing demand of the criminologist in the societies.

Skills possessed by a Criminologist


  • Penology
  • Psychology
  • Victimology
  • Critical thinking
  • Logics and Analytic
  • Statistical techniques
  • Communication Skills
  • Investigation report writing
  • Criminal laws and justice system
  • Crime Prevention and Management
  • Crime Techniques and Criminological Theories

What does a Criminologist do?


  • Investigate the police reports.
  • Identify the root causes of the crimes.
  • Help government officials to reform the society law.
  • Collect the important evidence from the crime scene.
  • Gather the information regarding criminals and victims.
  • Help the police forces and secret services to maintain the law and order.
  • Some of the criminologists also examine the dead bodies in the laboratory.
  • Predict the criminal’s movement and behaviour to prevent the crimes before committed.
  • Determine every possible aspect of criminals and conclude the best-fitted reason to break the law and commit the crime.
  • They analyse the collected data and conduct the possible research to determine what are the factors and causes for criminals to commit the crimes.
  • Criminologist always is in an active mode. They regularly communicate with the local people in the societies to analyse the dangerous consequences.    

Mostly Criminologist works under the government rules and regulations to investigate and analyse the crime scene or any law violations.

 

Where does a Criminologist work?


  • Judiciary
  • Forensics
  • Defence Sectors
  • Drug Enforcement Agency
  • Law Enforcement agencies
  • State and National Government
  • Rehabilitation (or) Rehab Centre
  • Immigration and Customs Agencies
  • Educational and Training Organisation
  • Private and Public (Government) sector crime Investigation organisations

A criminologist could be work with any of these agencies and organisations to save the society from criminal violations. And enforcement the laws and regulations.

 

Criminologist Career Paths


 After completing your degree in criminology, you can go in these following career paths.

  • Counsellors
  • Police officers
  • Crime scene investigators
  • Crime intelligence analyst
  • Drug Enforcement officers
  • Private and Public Detectives
  • Laboratory crime researchers
  • Corrections (or) Prison officers
  • Crime prevention coordinators
  • Consumer protection Advocate
  • Community development worker
  • Professor in Colleges and Institution
  • Law reform (or) legal reform researcher
  • Intelligence and Security Agency (FBI, MI6, CBI) Agents

Based on your interest you can opt any of the above careers track to continue your path on a criminology study.

The best thing about the criminologist, they can be a private detective to open their own agencies after getting some years field experience. 

 

Career Scope in Criminology


Every day I wake up in the morning and open a newspaper, all I read about crime. More than half of the newspaper (80%) are filled with the news based upon crime. Same apply to the news media and radio. You will see most of the time news presenter talking about the chaos going on around the world.

As the worldwide population is increasing with every inch of time consequently crime rate also growing in a fraction of seconds. Crime becomes one of the major concern worldwide.

Every country in the world, either it is small or big, struggling with the rapid increase of the crime ratio.

So for the career opportunities perspective, I would say we need many people who have a good understanding of criminology. To save the society from the criminal offence and breaking the governing rules set by societies and federal authorities. 

So if you have the question regarding should I study criminology or not? I hope from this point you got your answer.

 

Top Colleges for Criminology Study in India


Top Colleges for Criminology Study (International)