Exploring and Understanding Careers in Criminal Justice: A Comprehensive Guide

by Matthew J. Sheridan, Raymond R. Rainville

Overview

Criminal justice careers typically fall into one of two categories: law enforcement or legal. But contrary to what many may know about the career opportunities in criminal justice, it is more than just becoming a cop or a lawyer. In Exploring and Understanding Careers and Opportunities in Criminal Justice, Matthew J. Sheridan and Raymond R. Rainville provide a practical, comprehensive guide that easily explains the extensive operations and the scope of employment possibilities and opportunities in the criminal justice profession. They cover many criminal justice functions and career paths that are seldom discussed when preparing for a career in criminal justice. Rainville and Sheridan focus on how to obtain employment in a career field that fits personal strengths and aspirations and emphasize the value of internships and service learning as tools to obtain the desired position.

A career in criminal justice is a process of many potential outcomes. The career professional who plans, continues personal development, and prepares their career path will discover many potential rewards that include satisfaction during and after their career. The field of criminal justice will continue to expand and grow. Legislative mandates will promote new policies and employment opportunities to keep pace with changes and improvements in criminal justice practices to meet needs that enable the career professional to protect and serve. As the title suggests, anyone interested in exploring and understanding the field of criminal justice and the opportunities it can provide needs to read this book. Sheridan and Rainville make it known that there are more options in the field of criminal justice than you thought, and that the process for obtaining employment and developing the career path you desire most can be done!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442254305
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/21/2016
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Matthew J. Sheridan, EdD, has more than 35 years of experience with the New Jersey Departments of Corrections, Human Services, and Law and Public Safety. He currently teaches Criminal Justice at Georgian Court University and is the director of the Internship Program. He has more than 20 years of experience teaching Corrections, Criminology, and Criminal Justice.

Raymond R. Rainville, PhD, is currently Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Justice at St. Peters University. He retired from probation services after 33 years. Rainville combines his professional experience with his duties at the university to guide students to select appropriate majors that meet with their personal goals; guiding them through the job selection and application process.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Preface
Chapter One – Introduction: Why Another Book on Criminal Justice Careers
Chapter Two – Exploring careers in Criminal Justice
Chapter Three - Careers in Law Enforcement
Chapter Four - Careers in Corrections
Chapter Five - The Courts, its Actors and its Functions
Chapter Six - The Federal Government
Chapter Seven - Getting the Job, Entering the Field and Advancement
Chapter Eight - Criminal Justice Ethics
Chapter Nine - Life After the Career or “I Can’t live on That!”
List of AppendicesDirectory of Profiles in Criminal Justice Interest, Inquiry and Cover LettersA Guide to Interview QuestionsSample Resume and CVEleven Important Steps to Prepare for the Career FairThe Benefits and Downsides of On-line LearningDocument Portfolio ChecklistCivil Service Examinations (includes Prep Manuals)U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Agencies and WebsitesImportant WebsitesCriminal Justice Jobs and Job definitions Private and Non-Profit Agencies and Professional OrganizationsVermont Police Academy Basic Training & Physical Fitness TrainingPaying for collegeCriminal Justice and Trade Publications Codes of Ethics Subjects Index Names Index Bibliography and Recommended Readings

Editorial Reviews

Sheridan and Rainville use their extensive experience (over 30 years each) to write an exceptional work on careers within criminal justice. Five chapters provide invaluable information on choosing a career in federal, state, or local law enforcement, corrections, or courts. Three additional chapters cover getting the job, maintaining professional ethics, and life after one's career ends. The chapter on law enforcement, for example, has subsections on job postings, applications and portfolios, education, job references, interviewing, test taking, academy training, job benefits, multiculturalism on the job, and other useful information. Sixteen appendixes cover a multitude of topics, including successful job hunting, a guide to interview questions, criminal justice ethics, a document portfolio checklist, and paying for college. One appendix even offers profiles of 16 career employees—actual people holding jobs in criminal justice fields as diverse as parole officer or correctional architect. Notes, bibliography, recommended readings, and two indexes provide additional orientation to readers. An excellent source for students, faculty, and advisors, this volume offers much more than comparable works that deal merely with getting a job. Instead, the authors tell how to build a successful criminal justice career that one will love, from first employment to retirement.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.” —Choice Reviews

“Written by two people with extensive experience as practitioners in the criminal justice system and academics in college-level programs, this book is intended for use as a text in courses about jobs in the criminal justice profession but also as a reference for criminal justice program administrators as they guide undergraduates through their programs. . . .The index is particularly helpful for someone who wants to look up a specific topic like the CIA or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as subjects like stress and tuition. . . . This practical guide to criminal justice careers is recommended for high school or college career counseling centers; high school, college, and public libraries; and for criminal justice practitioners or professors.” —American Reference Books Annual

“This book is an important tool for criminal justice students to help them prepare for their careers. The career profiles present roadmaps for success.” —James Kenny, Professor, Fairleigh Dickinson University

“The most comprehensive career guide I've found during my 35 years working in the criminal justice system. The authors provide everything you could ever want to know about career opportunities within the criminal justice system in this very instructive, useful, and thought-provoking analysis. A must-read for everyone interested in life-changing career opportunities.” —Robert A. Hood, M.Ed., Warden (Ret.), United States "Supermax" Penitentiary, CO

“In Exploring and Understanding Careers in Criminal Justice Rainville and Sheridan have compiled a comprehensive compendium of indispensable information on criminal justice careers. They provide information on choosing careers, how to prepare for your career, how to network, and throughout they use profiles of real criminal justice professionals to show the pathways and diversity of employment opportunities for students in criminal justice. This book is essential reading for students and advisors, and for any professor who has ever been asked, "so what job can I get with this degree?".” —Patrick J. Carr, Associate Professor; Director, Program in Criminal Justice, Rutgers University

“I recommend this book highly for anyone working in, or hoping to work in, the criminal justice system. The volume provides thoughtful guidance on career development, is written in clear and engaging prose, and is remarkably comprehensive. It's a source book the criminal justice professional will want to have on his or her bookshelf.” —Robert Johnson, Professor of Justice, Law and Criminology, American University

From the Publisher

Sheridan and Rainville use their extensive experience (over 30 years each) to write an exceptional work on careers within criminal justice. Five chapters provide invaluable information on choosing a career in federal, state, or local law enforcement, corrections, or courts. Three additional chapters cover getting the job, maintaining professional ethics, and life after one's career ends. The chapter on law enforcement, for example, has subsections on job postings, applications and portfolios, education, job references, interviewing, test taking, academy training, job benefits, multiculturalism on the job, and other useful information. Sixteen appendixes cover a multitude of topics, including successful job hunting, a guide to interview questions, criminal justice ethics, a document portfolio checklist, and paying for college. One appendix even offers profiles of 16 career employees—actual people holding jobs in criminal justice fields as diverse as parole officer or correctional architect. Notes, bibliography, recommended readings, and two indexes provide additional orientation to readers. An excellent source for students, faculty, and advisors, this volume offers much more than comparable works that deal merely with getting a job. Instead, the authors tell how to build a successful criminal justice career that one will love, from first employment to retirement.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

Choice Reviews

Written by two people with extensive experience as practitioners in the criminal justice system and academics in college-level programs, this book is intended for use as a text in courses about jobs in the criminal justice profession but also as a reference for criminal justice program administrators as they guide undergraduates through their programs.. . .The index is particularly helpful for someone who wants to look up a specific topic like the CIA or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as subjects like stress and tuition.. .. This practical guide to criminal justice careers is recommended for high school or college career counseling centers; high school, college, and public libraries; and for criminal justice practitioners or professors.

American Reference Books Annual

I recommend this book highly for anyone working in, or hoping to work in, the criminal justice system. The volume provides thoughtful guidance on career development, is written in clear and engaging prose, and is remarkably comprehensive. It's a source book the criminal justice professional will want to have on his or her bookshelf.

Robert Johnson

This book is an important tool for criminal justice students to help them prepare for their careers. The career profiles present roadmaps for success.

James Kenny

In Exploring and Understanding Careers in Criminal Justice Rainville and Sheridan have compiled a comprehensive compendium of indispensable information on criminal justice careers. They provide information on choosing careers, how to prepare for your career, how to network, and throughout they use profiles of real criminal justice professionals to show the pathways and diversity of employment opportunities for students in criminal justice. This book is essential reading for students and advisors, and for any professor who has ever been asked, "so what job can I get with this degree?".

Patrick J. Carr

Sheridan and Rainville use their extensive experience (over 30 years each) to write an exceptional work on careers within criminal justice. Five chapters provide invaluable information on choosing a career in federal, state, or local law enforcement, corrections, or courts. Three additional chapters cover getting the job, maintaining professional ethics, and life after one's career ends. The chapter on law enforcement, for example, has subsections on job postings, applications and portfolios, education, job references, interviewing, test taking, academy training, job benefits, multiculturalism on the job, and other useful information. Sixteen appendixes cover a multitude of topics, including successful job hunting, a guide to interview questions, criminal justice ethics, a document portfolio checklist, and paying for college. One appendix even offers profiles of 16 career employees—actual people holding jobs in criminal justice fields as diverse as parole officer or correctional architect. Notes, bibliography, recommended readings, and two indexes provide additional orientation to readers. An excellent source for students, faculty, and advisors, this volume offers much more than comparable works that deal merely with getting a job. Instead, the authors tell how to build a successful criminal justice career that one will love, from first employment to retirement.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

CHOICE

The most comprehensive career guide I've found during my 35 years working in the criminal justice system. The authors provide everything you could ever want to know about career opportunities within the criminal justice system in this very instructive, useful, and thought-provoking analysis. A must-read for everyone interested in life-changing career opportunities.

Robert A. Hood

Sheridan and Rainville use their extensive experience (over 30 years each) to write an exceptional work on careers within criminal justice. Five chapters provide invaluable information on choosing a career in federal, state, or local law enforcement, corrections, or courts. Three additional chapters cover getting the job, maintaining professional ethics, and life after one's career ends. The chapter on law enforcement, for example, has subsections on job postings, applications and portfolios, education, job references, interviewing, test taking, academy training, job benefits, multiculturalism on the job, and other useful information. Sixteen appendixes cover a multitude of topics, including successful job hunting, a guide to interview questions, criminal justice ethics, a document portfolio checklist, and paying for college. One appendix even offers profiles of 16 career employees—actual people holding jobs in criminal justice fields as diverse as parole officer or correctional architect. Notes, bibliography, recommended readings, and two indexes provide additional orientation to readers. An excellent source for students, faculty, and advisors, this volume offers much more than comparable works that deal merely with getting a job. Instead, the authors tell how to build a successful criminal justice career that one will love, from first employment to retirement.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.

Choice