School advice

Ok so since I’m now an unemployed bum I was looking into going back and finishing college so I can get a degree and hopefully a new type of career. When I dropped out years ago I was halfway through to getting a four year degree as a Criminology major. Back then I wanted to do something in the lines of LE so I figured crim was the way to go. Well after years of being a idiot let’s just say LE will never be an option for me again. Lol So my question is should of I decide to go back to college does it even make sense to stay in criminology? Other than maybe teaching the subject are there really any job doors that a crim degree might open up? I can’t think of any really. If I’m right and crim is a dead end and I decide to switch to say Psychology. What happens to all those old credits? Do some carry over to the new major? As always thanks in advance
for any opinions.

Most places don't give two shits what is ON the paper, so long as you HAVE the paper. If you're not planning on doing anything super technical (med, eng, etc), don't sweat it.

You should look on LinkedIn and find recruiters for criminal positions. Inquire what positions they are recruiting for.

What multi said is 100% true, at least where I work.

but I’d say a 2 year tech degree and an opportunity at ground level tech related work will get you earning good money quicker and you can get science, math, tech related degrees from a community college at a 1/4 of the cost.

I work AROUND a lot of people making 120k in a field that was literally a mile from what the overpriced degree they have is. Obviously, the paper is how you get your foot in the door. Just how it works for us peeps that didn’t have the entrepreneurial spirit or the family business type of childhood.

so my answer is… a 2 year tech degree is cheap, easy, and will give you more bang for your buck.

Forensic labs are a way a tech degree can get you into a criminology type field without having a squeaky clean record.

Lots of criminology majors find employment as probation officers...not much $ in it...

I would love to be a probation officer. Could care less about the amount of money. I had money once and all it did was attract scumbags. Now I have $7.00 in my checking account and I’m ok with that. I really could get into trying to help kids change their lives around UNFORTUNATELY I was a total idiot in my younger days and managed to rack up a pretty extensive criminal record. I’m sure that probably negates anything to do with LE even at that level. That’s why I was wondering what other avenues criminology might open up.

Koolio said:

Lots of criminology majors find employment as probation officers...not much $ in it...

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Go to whatever school you might be considering and have a counselor make heads or tails of your transcriots and what courses you have completed can apply to what….whatever.

You don’t think you can qualify for a LE position and I think PO is a sworn position most places, so that’s probably out. Jails hire straight up (recovered) junkies to handle their drug and alcohol programs which always baffled me since they have the same access as the thoroughly vetted officers. So maybe you can get you junkhead on for a bit then sober up for the position? Not a career path I’d take but….lol!

CJ degrees are useless for people pursuing LE jobs imo. It certainly helps having that knowledge for the job but every FBI and other lettered agency guys I ever worked with were lawyers or accountants. Made since when I heard about their caseloads.

Good on ya if you go back to school. I couldn’t stand the little shits that know everything and the ultra left instructors who lectured me about the real world after their having taught college courses for 30 years in the same place.

¡Buena Suerte!

Upon further thought, I think Juvenile COs or “counselors” they call them, just have social work degrees and the like. That might be a good gig if you can keep from throat punching some mouthy little shits.

If you are open to sharing more that might help. Do you have felonies on your record and if so how long ago? Misdemeanors? how long ago?

It sounds like to me, you really want to help those like yourself. I get it, it is the same reason I got into nursing. BTW I found a school that takes all my credits but I am shifting towards the 2 year degree. Once I go for my B.S.N. again I will be almost done since I have 2/3 of that done. I would suggest starting with Drug counseling, use it as a spring board to better paying jobs in the mental health arena. Mental Health issues are a growing epidemic world wide. Especially men need men to step up into these positions and help them.

Whatever you decide you are a fighter mate, you will succeed even if you get knocked down a time or two. You got this brother....

Yes……Unfortunately…….Felony drug charges (Steroids), a shit ton of assaults. Couple aggravated. Pretty sure they were felonies. Ran from the police doing 145mph and CHP finally roadblocked me on a bridge. That ended up being a bunch of charges. I was also invited to stay at the feds place a couple times. The list goes on bro. Like I said I was an idiot. Really didn’t give a fuck what happened to me. BUT therapy two days a week for 20 years and I’m now a model citizen.

CowboyPump77 said:

If you are open to sharing more that might help. Do you have felonies on your record and if so how long ago? Misdemeanors? how long ago?

It sounds like to me, you really want to help those like yourself. I get it, it is the same reason I got into nursing. BTW I found a school that takes all my credits but I am shifting towards the 2 year degree. Once I go for my B.S.N. again I will be almost done since I have 2/3 of that done. I would suggest starting with Drug counseling, use it as a spring board to better paying jobs in the mental health arena. Mental Health issues are a growing epidemic world wide. Especially men need men to step up into these positions and help them.

Whatever you decide you are a fighter mate, you will succeed even if you get knocked down a time or two. You got this brother....

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If it it has been a long time ago though you can likely get them expunged. I would talk to a lawyer. I had to get one thing expunged a misdemeanor (communications threats), I left a message in no uncertain terms somebody was a dead man walking. Which ended up being true, he hung himself in jail or the cops got him. That one thing kept me from being accepted to the nursing program.

I just got lucky. I was a good talker, bullshitter, and a cool cucumber under duress. I always got out of trouble 9 times out of 10. I should be in jail for life if not executed. We all grow up and change though. I regret some of things I did. That said, I never went after innocent/good people. It was always scumbags.

AR-15 said:

Yes……Unfortunately…….Felony drug charges (Steroids), a shit ton of assaults. Couple aggravated. Pretty sure they were felonies. Ran from the police doing 145mph and CHP finally roadblocked me on a bridge. That ended up being a bunch of charges. I was also invited to stay at the feds place a couple times. The list goes on bro. Like I said I was an idiot. Really didn’t give a fuck what happened to me. BUT therapy two days a week for 20 years and I’m now a model citizen.

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if you’re a felon than you can forget about becoming a probation officer at least in my state that is yours might be different.my daughter is taking criminal justice with a minor in psychology and all of the core classes are the same . I’m not too sure how far you were in the deal.like what was already said if you’re trying to work for a place that requires a degree most of the time it doesn’t really matter what the degree is in. My wife actually went to school and got a completely worthless one but was able to find good jobs just because she had a bachelors. Have you looked into a trade school or other blue collar work ? Plenty of money to be made without college . Goodluck man

Not sure what your mechanical aptitude is but jobs in the trades are always in need. Most times they will help with school costs. Good money in heating & a/c or electrical etc. just experience

if your a vet the va will help you with college just like the gi bill but its called vocational rehab