It’s always preferable to ask a subject matter expert for clarification when you have a challenging topic. Faculty members from National University take turns responding to tough queries in their fields of expertise in our blog series Ask An Expert.
We focused on criminal justice in this post. We had a conversation about the significance of criminal justice with Professor Marc Bailey of the School of Professional Studies. In addition to teaching in the online bachelor’s program in criminal justice and holding the position of Director of Public Safety Outreach at National University, Bailey is a former television news anchor and reserve police officer. He also graduated from NU with a master’s degree in organizational leadership and a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
Every element of our lives is impacted by criminal justice, often in unexpected ways. Because it is a system that encompasses law enforcement, courts, prisons, counseling services, and several other organizations and agencies that individuals interact with on a daily basis, criminal justice is significant.+
Q1:-What is the criminal justice system, and what is the significance of criminal justice?
Any institution that deals with the issue of law and order in society is considered to be part of the criminal justice system. There are several ways that you, as an individual, may interact with the criminal justice system. You interact with the criminal justice system when you encounter a police officer on the street. Should you receive a jury summons, you will have interacted with the criminal judicial system. The criminal justice system includes our jail system. Our criminal justice system includes our courts. A component of the criminal justice system is our law enforcement.
Voting on legislation and laws gives you a say in how the criminal justice system is run. These laws affect people by defining what society will and won’t tolerate. The statutes also specify who will be detained and under what circumstances, as well as how police personnel must carry out their duties. One aspect of the criminal justice system is probationary release. You are still subject to the criminal justice system even after being released from custody. Even if you are on probation or parole, the criminal justice system is still heavily involved in your life. Since incarcerating someone has an impact on society as a whole, the criminal justice system has an impact on everyone. The general public is unaware of just how vast and intricate this criminal justice system is.
As a result, the criminal justice system plays a significant role in our society and is funded in large part by your taxes. However, the majority of individuals genuinely only know a small portion of it.
Q2:-In addition to your career in law enforcement, you have worked in the media and in education. You are currently a reserve officer with the El Cajon Police Department. Could you briefly discuss how you initially entered the law enforcement field and the course of your career since then?
In 1979, I began serving with San Diego as a police officer. I graduated from National University in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in business while I was still employed as a young officer. After around five years, I left police enforcement and went on to work for more than 35 years in radio and television. many TV shows, however the majority of that work was done as a local and national news anchor.
I’ve known since I was a little child that I wanted to work in radio and television, but my true passion was helping my neighborhood. My approach to law enforcement was a little different from most people’s when I initially started out. I want to serve,’ I said to the recruitment officer. I am able to assist my town, where I grew up, through law enforcement. And I’ll give it to you for at least four years, after which we’ll see where it goes and whether it develops into a profession. And the recruiter said, “Whoa, that’s a unique perspective.” That’s something I’ve never actually heard of. Yes, provided that you promise to give us four years, we’ll accept you on that premise.
As you would have guessed from this chat, I had this other thing that made me want to talk all the time. I could have easily stayed in law enforcement and had a terrific career and truly enjoyed it!
Q3:-You left the force to pursue a career in the media, but you later returned to the force as a reserve officer. Why are you a reserve officer, and what does that mean?
When I was still employed in radio and television, some ten years ago, I sensed that law enforcement was my true calling. But at that moment, I returned to my role as a reserve officer since I didn’t want to give up my successful media career. That implies that in California, you must possess the same credentials and training as an officer who works full-time. I had to recertify, which I accomplished while volunteering. And for the past ten years, I have continued to work in the field one day a week for at least eight to twelve hours, responding to radio calls just like any other police officer. As a full-time police officer, you wouldn’t know me. All things considered, there is no difference—except that I am not compensated.
I quip, jokingly, that because I don’t play golf, everyone needs a pastime. That is partially true, too, as I still find it to be far more enjoyable than anything else. However, the reality is that it’s a calling. It makes no sense to equip myself with a ballistic vest, a sidearm, a taser, a baton, pepper spray, a knife, and another weapon that is concealed on my body. I have a strong sense of duty to use my abilities and talents to benefit society.
Actually, I really do adore it. When I’m out answering radio calls, I often text my wife and say, “I’m in my happy place today.”
Q4:-What kind of assistance does National provide to criminal justice professionals who wish to continue their education?
At National, the chancellor is dedicated to helping public safety professionals, such as police officers, fulfill their educational aspirations. Anywhere in the nation or the world, if you work in public safety or for a police force, you are eligible for a 25% scholarship at National University toward any of our degree programs. Law enforcement scholarships are available for any academic degree, regardless of whether you are a police officer, work in the property room, or in the evidence lab.
Additionally, we try to give these experts as much credit as possible for their earlier training toward their degree. We looked at basic training, such as the police academy, and saw where it aligns with our degree programs. We worked really hard with faculty, the registrar, and our certifying agencies.
Public administration, homeland security, and criminal justice—but particularly criminal justice—all benefit greatly from the training that graduates of police academies get. The bachelor’s degree in criminal justice typically consists of 17 upper division coursework, however you may be able to waive up to seven of these depending on your prior knowledge. With regard to degrees like criminal justice, the law enforcement scholarship and recognition of past training effectively make it a two-part offer.
Although each state has its own requirements for training, we also accept some training from other states. For instance, because the marshal service receives uniform training across the nation, we have instituted articulation with them. In the degree programs I described, we can provide them additional credit. We have also discussed the training provided by other agencies, such as Probation and Detentions, which have distinct training from that of police officers, throughout the state of California.
We have examined five additional states in relation to police officers. For instance, we have examined and discussed Nevada’s statewide academy training. We may still give police officers who attended the Nevada Police Academy a great deal of credit, even though it’s not as much as in California because that state has the best police academy in the country.
Q5:-How can working folks fit their education into already hectic schedules at National University with its flexible options?
I could only apply all of the units I had earned from community college and four-year institutions to National University and focus on one class per month. Though some others now follow suit, we invented the one-class-per-month schedule in 1971 to accommodate an adult population—particularly the military—that was unable to dedicate itself to a full semester. We now know that this holds true for adult learners in general.
For individuals working shifts in public safety, this format is still very relevant. They have a family, a career, and a bunch of units that they are unsure how to combine to earn a degree. Additionally, they are working insane shifts. Not only do we only provide one session each month, but we can also offer most of our classes totally online for degrees without sacrificing the caliber of instruction. Additionally, we are able to deliver the online degrees asynchronously, eliminating the need for you to log in at a specific time. You can complete your work on your own schedule, but you can use the professor’s resources at any time and communicate with your peers. Now more than ever, it’s more easily accessible.
Q6:-Why should aspiring students consider studying criminal justice for their bachelor’s degree at National University? What makes criminal justice a crucial field?
Due to its quick use in the field and direct advantages, criminal justice is a field that many law enforcement officers naturally gravitate toward. And in our classes, we take great satisfaction in that. We want you to apply the knowledge you acquired in class to your work that day.
If you’re not interested in becoming a police officer, a criminal justice degree can still be helpful. One gains a broad perspective that most individuals lack when they comprehend the criminal justice system as a whole, consisting of all these interconnected aspects. It forces you to search for comprehensive, systems-oriented answers rather than band-aid treatments.
You will benefit from that kind of integrated problem-solving and systems thinking in all of your endeavors, no matter where you work or what you do. Innovative approaches to problem-solving are required. If you want to pursue a career in criminal justice, you’ll enter the area fully aware of how much more complex it is than most people realize.
Attending National University to study criminal justice
National University provides both on-campus and online criminal justice degrees for those who wish to pursue a career in the field. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration degree are equipped to work in municipal, state, and federal courts. A career in law enforcement or judiciary can involve working as a police officer, detective, probation officer, correctional officer, forensic science technician, crime scene investigator, FBI agent, fraud investigator, social worker, lawyer, DEA agent, US marshal, or in many other capacities. Graduates of criminal justice programs can pursue these and other career paths.
Although obtaining a bachelor’s degree is not a prerequisite for joining a municipal police force, advancement to supervisory or other leadership roles may depend on postsecondary education. Upon completion of degrees, several organizations will additionally provide staff raises. Nearly 75% of law enforcement agencies pay police officers an additional 1–7.49 percent for obtaining a bachelor’s degree, according to the Police Foundation.
For the majority of employment, federal agencies like the CIA and FBI require a bachelor’s degree in addition to further training. In 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the median salary for police officers and detectives nationwide was $62,960. California employs around 73,000 sheriffs and police patrol officers, more than any other state in the union. In 2017, the mean yearly salary in California was $100,090.
Students at National have the option of completing their criminal justice bachelor’s degree online or on one of the school’s actual campuses in California or Nevada. Students take courses in criminology, juvenile justice, prisons, forensic science, leadership and management, judicial systems, criminal law, and civil and criminal investigations.
Participants in the program can also obtain a more comprehensive understanding of human behavior by enrolling in elective courses in information technology, behavioral science, addiction diseases, psychology, sociology, and human resource management. Students work with faculty members, many of whom are also employed in the criminal justice system, to accomplish a senior capstone project. Because classes are only provided once a month, students can manage their education around other obligations in their personal and professional lives.
National University provides a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Leadership in addition to the online and on-campus bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice. Students in the undergraduate Criminal Justice program may enroll in up to two graduate courses in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice, Master of Forensic Science, Master of Public Administration, or Master of Science in Juvenile Justice through four distinct transition programs. The courses give students a head start on a graduate degree and count as electives in the bachelor’s program. For students to be eligible for the transition programs, they must obtain a minimum GPA of 3.0.