Professional terminology

We've discussed on here numerous times that a person who isn't licensed by his or her respective state cannot legally hold him/herself out as a psychologist even though that person has an accredited master's or doctorate in psychology.

Now, can a person who has an accredited master's or doctorate in criminal justice, hold him/herself out as a criminologist or penologist or criminal investigator?

 

Here's my guess. I'm guessing that the restriction exists in Psychology because of licensure. The other disciplines are not licensed, are they? (You said Criminal Investigator, not Private Investigator). Couldn't anyone investigate crimes? To me it seems like art. You don't have to have a degree in art in order to call yourself an artist. On the other hand, I could be way off.
Jack

 

In doing some research, I have found that some states do in fact license criminologists. I am searching for these states now.

 

Not having any luck finding any state that licenses criminologists.

However, while searching, I found this very interesting online journal.

 

Keep finding interesting sites.

 

Same

Jimmy,
Jack's observation covers most states. A criminologist is one who studies crime. Pretty generic. Someone may state they are criminologists, but without sufficient educational background they will not be accepted by the courts. Also, most professional organizations will not accept unqualified applicants. Certification, rather than licensure, is the usual approach. A criminologist can also be a criminalist. Evidence collection is usually supervised by the investigator and ME, if a death is involved. The investigator uses the criminalist to solve the crime. Most agencies require, at least, annual in-service courses to maintain state certification. Same with the Feds.

Criminalist (CSI) is also generic, but many (most) states require certification by a recognized organization and state certification with exams. Sometimes, an AA or higher is required + annual CEU's and field work. Advanced degrees are becoming more common as latent evidence has become extremely important in identifying suspects, victims, and time line requiring various fields of forensics. The TV show CSI is a crock, but it shows the variety of personnel involved. If there is a chink in the processing of evidence your case is kaput, with a good attorney.

Most states require licensure of P.I.'s. This is due to the need to regulate the profession. The requirements vary from state to state and may include a long apprenticeship, with a licensed investigator, to prior police certification. Some states allow attorneys to have investigators without licensure. But I think all require a clean background. No felons or flashers etc...

Bruce would qualify as a criminologist. I'm sure he has taken hundreds of hours of classes, as an officer, and is certified in several areas of investigation. His MA just adds to his list of accomplishments and qualifications in court. An accident investigator (expert) must take several specific courses involving several math disciplines and have the ability to document and explain his findings to a jury of regular folks. Reconstructionists (accident) are in high demand among civil attorneys and can occasionally make $1k/hr. + if they have the ability to connect with a jury.

I may have simplified too much, but Bruce can probably fill in the blanks and make corrections where necessary.

There are several bogus organizations offering "certification" in different areas. Kind of like the mills. You have to sift through the garbage to find valid associations. And, just as the mills, some are run by real scientists without scruples.

 

Same

I have pronoundanglitis with conjunctivitis (non-medical) so I hope the above makes sense.

 

Re: Same

Thanks Clay. I am asking because the Ashworth Master's in Criminal Justice looks so inviting.

 

You're Welcome

I think it looks cool. It's DETC accredited and inexpensive. I believe PCDI owns Ashworth and a couple others. PCDI has been DETC accredited for years. Get ready to write yourself to death. My experiences with DETC have been very good. And the exams were very tricky. You need to know your stuff, without the fluff. What would you do with the degree?

 

Clay, thanks for your very informative post!

Until quite recently, the fields of Criminal Justice and Crimonology had baffled me. I had assumed until recently, quite wrongly of course, that the apex of one's academic or professional interests in crime/criminology should probably be a law degree and license.

A nephew of mine recently graduated from the Florida A&M criminal justice program - and working with/talking to him, dis-abused my mind of several fallacies. Good thing, though, to me, at least - he plans to apply to Law School.

Background qualifications for those employed in criminal justice fields vary by state, locale, or employer. Persons with prior felony convictions may not be eligible for employment in criminal justice occupations. But, increasingly, that applies to a whole host of other career paths, jobs, and professions.

Criminal justice/criminology is a growing vocation. Graduates do learn basic criminal justice techniques to enable them to be employed in federal, state, and local correctional institutions (jails and prisons). Other employment possibilities include emergency management centers, parole or probation agencies, police departments, private and public security agencies, and adjudicated youth centers.

Instead of licensure many states opt for a thorough (i'd hope) background investigation such as the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigation.

Given the critical importance to the nation of properly training, certifying and monitoring individuals for Homeland Security personnel and activities, I would hope to see, in the near-future, some sort of required state licensure and criminal justice/criminology curriculum and training standardization, here in the USA.

Is the USDOJ and/or AG pursuing a similar goal? Not that I am aware of.

Thanks.

 

Dear Jimmy Clifton:

My constant up-and-down scrolling - and viewing - of that very nice, smiling picture of our Commander-In-Chief, kinda, sorta, inexplicably tends to raise my resting blood pressure levels.

Can I please send you a very nice picture of Holy Mother Teresa, instead?

 

Re: You're Welcome

I am not sure what I would do with it if I decided to earn it. It may just be a nice complementary degree to my counseling licenses or could enhance my locksmithing--security.

Yes, DETC students write quite a bit. That's about all I did at CCHS and am doing at FLET but that's a good way to learn.

 

Same

Jake_A,
The DOJ has several schools covering different areas of enforcement. I think it would be too expensive and too long to encompass all the fields. The basics are similar.

However, I have noticed states becoming more uniform in their courses offered through the academies. And reciprocity is common, with additional classes in state laws etc..., but states also have different LE agencies requiring different studies. So it would also be difficult to have a generic academy. A Fire Marshal has powers of arrest, in many states, but doesn't know squat about general investigations. Same with PO's.

HR218 was recently passed and allows active/retired officers/agents to carry concealed weapons in all states. This means a cop from Georgia (active or retired) can carry in New York. This legislation was passed, in part, due to HLS. It also covers retired Feds.

As you stated, each state has different requirements, but for the regular street cop most are similar. And most require certification through their Criminal Justice Standards and Training Agencies or an equivalent. Several years ago, some departments were hiring former felons. This failed miserably. I think the sociologists were involved.

Good luck to your nephew. And congrats on his accomplishments.

 

One of Elvis will suffice.

 

Jimmy's Flagellation Fetish

I agree it's a great way to learn, but everything cost me twice as much. I needed typists and linguists to decipher my junk. You remind me of me. Too many interests, none in common.

 

Same

Myself, takes too long to type. See what I mean? I like to's too.

 

Re: Jimmy's Flagellation Fetish

Yea, I am sure there is a psychopathology there somewhere.

 

Additional Useless Stuff

I've found that the best prosecutors were former cops. And the best defense attorneys former prosecutors. Kinda like a Mobius strip.

I guess it would be possible to arrest someone and years later defend them on another charge. The definition of irony. You could be presenting a case to your future alter-self. That's why education is so important in LE. Defense attorneys know when investigations stink.

Or as Tweedledee says," Contrariwise, if it was so it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."

Cop + Prosecutor = Defense Attorney (See Above)

One of my upside-downisms.

 

Jimmy's Fetish

Yeah, we're related. My shrink thinks I'm the most grounded person he knows. I don't know shrinklistics, so I just thank him. Maybe he's saying I'm the most grinding person he knows?

Body language experts! Wake up! If he covers his mouth when talking, he's blowing smoke? I've bea.....interro.....interviewed hundreds of scrotes....scroti.....scrotuses....arrestees, and have found I'm as good as the box.

Most folks think I'm out to lunch, but I can tell them what they are wearing (down to their socks and pen), after a brief glance and hours later, by phone. Irritating. That's why I think the shrink is saying grinding.

And to stay close to the topic, I'm an Irritologist.

 

Re: Jimmy's Fetish

Hmmm, maybe. But lunch is good too.

Jack