Criminology: Skills, Career Path and Degree Relevance

This criminology assignment analyzes the career path of a social worker transitioning into criminology. It outlines the aims and objectives of the Centre of Crime and Justice Studies, highlighting its focus on the criminal justice system and social impairment research. The assignment identifies key skills for social workers, including organizational, research, and communication abilities, emphasizing the importance of a Master of Social Work program. It explores how these skills can be applied in a criminology career, particularly in diversion and prevention programs. The assignment also emphasizes the relevance of a criminal justice degree, comparing it to alternative fields like sociology and political studies, and provides future steps for aspiring criminologists, such as obtaining licenses and focusing on core competencies. The assignment includes references to academic literature supporting the arguments presented.

Running head: CRIMINOLOGY
Criminology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CRIMINOLOGY
Aims and Objectives:
Since time immemorial, the Centre of Crime and Justice Studies in United Kingdom has
successfully established itself as a separate entity which is distinct from others. The organization
from the beginning focused on the concept of criminal justice system and has conducted various
researches by analyzing social impairment. In this regard, the organization has been involved in
comprehensive research in the field criminology and in this way it fostered important changes in
the criminal justice system. The organization aimed at developing imperishable and efficient
solutions in order to address to the issues of social misfortune in United Kingdom and beyond.
In this regard, it is noteworthy to mention here that the objectives of the organization
emphasized on sharing different ideas with individuals of different states in order to develop
their programs in a systematic way. However, the major objective of the organization was the
creation of creative network in order to build strong relations with intellectual individuals. In this
way the organization has made considerable efforts in implementing a platform for experienced
people to promote their ideas and solutions.
Required Skills:
As a social worker, the three skills which would be rightfully required by an individual
are-
 Maintaining effective organizational skills.
 Retaining excellent research and communication skills.
 Acquiring interest in depth regarding the behavioral patterns of humans.

2CRIMINOLOGY
In order to implement the skills more effectively it is necessary to get enrolled for a
Master of Social Work Program. In this regard, it is noteworthy to mention here that in some
cases, acquiring a degree in Bachelor Social Work shall help a social worker to progress in the
field of criminology. However, in recent times, there are no mandatory requirements for criminal
justice social workers to gain advancement in the area of criminology (Weisburd 2015).
Therefore, in order to develop the three identified skills it is required on the part of the
social worker to help a victim overcome the fear by providing them with appropriate solution
which can be both legal and ethical (Robinson, Burke and Millings 2015). It is important to learn
how to draft reports by gathering sufficient information. In order to develop efficient skills it is
important to provide appropriate support to the family members of the detainees. In this regard, it
is worth mentioning that sufficient skill advancement can be gained by actively participating in
the reform process (King and Murphy 2014). In such process, social workers are required to help
the released inmates in embracing a normal life (Bradford, Murphy and Jackson 2014). These
services should be started at an early stage during the course of study in order to develop the
three identified skills more effectively.
Identification of the Job:
The identified skills shall prove to be beneficial in developing the interest of a social
worker to work as a criminologist in the future. However, in order to fir adequately in the
position as a professional criminologist it is important on the part of a social worker to actively
participate in the process of diversion and prevention for those individuals who are at the
position of getting apprehended (Hawkins, Catalano and Kuklinski 2014). As a social service
worker my focus was to provide adequate assistance in cases of domestic violence, spousal abuse

3CRIMINOLOGY
and cases involving divorce and custodies. Since time immemorial, as a social worker I was
always interested to pursue my career as a criminologist as I was enthusiastic to learn about the
principles and functioning of the criminal justice system. I was concerned in providing adequate
remedies to the victims and their family members who has been suffering from various disorders
and brutality from the society.
Relevancy of the degree to the career:
Obtaining a degree of criminal justice has been essential the career of a social worker in
many ways. Firstly, a degree of criminal justice deeply focuses on the concept of police justice
system and the study of criminal relations. Secondly, criminal justice programs provide adequate
information regarding the legislative measures and the process of prosecution (Bradford 2014).
However, other alternatives are there for a social worker to pursue in order to develop efficient
skills in the practice of criminology. These alternatives can be the extensive study and research
of sociology and political studies.
In this regard, it is noteworthy to mention here that a degree of criminal justice has been
regarded as an excellent choice for social worker. The criminal justice degree is the best than the
abovementioned alternatives because it prepares an individual to learn various law enforcements
and identify the behavioral patterns of human beings.
Future Steps:
In order to prosper as a criminologist in future it is important to take into account various
other steps. These steps can be emphasized as-
 The most important step is to learn the essentials of licensing and credentials.

4CRIMINOLOGY
 It is essential to focus on the subject-matter of core competencies in order to enhance the
practices of both social work and criminology.
 It is imperative to obtain sufficient educational qualifications in order to enhance
adequate practicing as a criminologist it is important to obtain relevant degrees.

5CRIMINOLOGY
References:
Bradford, B., 2014. Policing and social identity: Procedural justice, inclusion and cooperation
between police and public. Policing and society, 24(1), pp.22-43.
Bradford, B., Murphy, K. and Jackson, J., 2014. Officers as mirrors: Policing, procedural justice
and the (re) production of social identity. British journal of criminology, 54(4), pp.527-550.
Hawkins, J.D., Catalano, R.F. and Kuklinski, M.R., 2014. Communities that care.
In Encyclopedia of criminology and criminal justice (pp. 393-408). Springer New York.
King, C. and Murphy, G.H., 2014. A systematic review of people with autism spectrum disorder
and the criminal justice system. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(11),
pp.2717-2733.
Robinson, G., Burke, L. and Millings, M., 2015. Criminal justice identities in transition: The
case of devolved probation services in England and Wales. British Journal of
Criminology, 56(1), pp.161-178.
Weisburd, D., 2015. The law of crime concentration and the criminology of
place. Criminology, 53(2), pp.133-157.