The Importance Of A Graduate Degree In The Chosen Career Field Research Paper

Introduction

It is not a secret that education plays an important role in the life of any individual. Any profession in the criminal justice deserves respect. The field of Child Interviewing /Counseling is an interesting and promising career choice for motivated and skilled individuals.  Forensic interviewers should maintain professional independence (Forensic Interviewing Protocol, 2010). The best way to enter into the chosen profession is through a graduate program. Forensic interviewers should work as part of a team and require effective communication skills. Much of the career is focused on the study and research; therefore, forensic interviewers should demonstrate curiosity and the desire for learning new things. In addition, forensic child interviewers should be patient and kind in order to minimize the child’s tendency to give no answer or to give dishonest or false information (Fraser & Williams, 2009).  In general, any career in the field of criminal justice has its specific aspects, which should be taken into consideration by everyone who wants to succeed in career. To assess the career opportunities, it is necessary to research the chosen career, explore three key elements of the graduate program and their impact on the chosen career field, and analyze the importance of a graduate degree as it relates to the chosen career field. Thesis statement: The chosen career field (Forensic Child Interviewer/ Counselor) could be entered through a graduate program, which provides massive opportunities for everyone who wants to become a professional in his/her occupation, including the proper knowledge, skills, experience and motivation.

The research of the chosen career

The chosen career field is Forensic Child Interviewer/ Counselor. In fact, this career field requires the application of the proper knowledge and experience. According to the information provided in the forensic interviewing protocol, forensic interviewers should be well-trained to work sexually abuse children (Forensic Interviewing Protocol, 2010). Forensic interviewers should apply effective interviewing techniques to succeed in interviewing practices and ensure the proper investigation of child abuse. Well-trained forensic interviewers can easily obtain a proper statement from a child, making effective decisions in forensic interviewing practices and assessing the information obtained from an interview (Forensic Interviewing Protocol, 2010).

At the same time, the chosen career field may have negative impact on individuals because of the specifics of work. Forensic interviewers should be ready to cope with these challenges. According to the research conducted by Bonach and Heckert (2012), different types of predictor variables hypothesize the significance of secondary traumatic stress in the work of forensic interviewers. Researchers have analyzed the data taken from forensic interviewers who work in children’s advocacy centers in the United States. They have found the inverse relationship between three indicators: organizational satisfaction, job support and organizational buffers and secondary traumatic stress among forensic interviewers. Moreover, they have found that the age of specialists affects secondary traumatic stress (Bonach & Heckert, 2012). Forensic interviewers and counselors are exposed to the pain and suffering of those they counsel; therefore, they should use psychological approaches in communication ((Bonach & Heckert, 2012).

In addition, it is necessary to take into consideration other aspects of the chosen career field, including the effects of forensic interviewers’ nonverbal behaviors on children’s perceptions and suggestibility. Researchers have found that many children questioned by the non-supportive interviewer can demonstrate less accurate data than those children questioned by the supportive interviewer (Almerigogna et al., 2008).  For a forensic interviewer, it is crucial to demonstrate positive attributes, such as friendliness, helpfulness, sincerity, avoiding boredom, indifference and increased strictness (Almerigogna et al., 2008).

Finally, it is very important to be aware of the massive opportunities provided by the chosen career field. It has been found that interviewing children requires special skills and experience. Forensic interviewers should be ready to apply their skills, knowledge and experience providing interviewing of children in Child Advocacy Centers, law enforcement and child protective services (CPS) (Fisher & Schreiber, 2010). As forensic interviewers have a strong impact on the outcomes of the legal process and on children’s psychological experience, they should perform their duties ion a proper way (Fisher & Schreiber, 2010; Fraser & Williams, 2009).

Three key elements of the graduate program and their impact on the chosen career field

The graduate program is Criminal Justice. This program has been developed to prepare students for various professional positions in the field of criminal justice. The areas of emphasis include “global issues, leadership and executive management, crime scene investigation, forensic psychology and juvenile justice” (Kaplan University, Official Website, 2014). Students are offered comprehensive training in the field of criminal justice. Besides, this graduate program provides an opportunity to gain hands-on experience being involved in the work on real cases.

Today students have the opportunity to choose the most suitable specialization in a specific area of criminal justice. My field of interest is a career of a Child Forensic Interviewer or Counselor. Students involved in this graduate program will study criminological theory, research methodology, psychology, organizational behavior, and other disciplines critical to the field of criminal justice (Kaplan University, Official Website, 2014).  The key elements of the graduate program include:

  • The Introduction to Graduate Studies in Public Safety;
  • Criminological Theory;
  • Research Methodology;
  • Organizational Behavior;
  • Critical Issues in Criminal Justice;
  • Academic and Professional Communications in Public Safety (Kaplan University, Official Website, 2014).

The graduate program in Criminal Justice is designed to provide students with the proper qualifications necessary for advancement in a rapidly changing environment of the criminal justice career field. Students have an opportunity to interact with industry professionals who have huge experience and knowledge in criminal justice. The key elements of the graduate program can help students to expand the range of potentials, including their practical capacity in the analysis of the major causes of criminal behavior in different cultures, the major causes of social deviance, and the types of organizational behavior (Kaplan University, Official Website, 2014).  Besides, students have an opportunity to explore the role of management and leadership of human resources, assess the design and major structural processes in various criminal justice organizations. In addition, students have an opportunity to explore and analyze various research methods in order to develop the proper skills necessary for effective design of the applied research and data evaluation. Finally, students will study legislation and new laws and regulations, placing emphasis on recent case law at the federal and state levels. The following areas will be studied: “law enforcement, criminal procedure, civil and criminal liability, civil rights, employment law, and substance abuse” (Kaplan University, Official Website, 2014).

Analysis of the importance of a graduate degree as it relates to the chosen career field

            The importance of a graduate degree can be explained by massive opportunities provided to those people who have chosen Forensic Child Interviewing / Counseling as a career field. As a forensic interviewer, a person should be well-trained to conduct effective forensic interviews of child abuse victims. Undoubtedly, there is a necessity to use the proper knowledge and experience in order to succeed in this type of activity. A graduate degree is essential for becoming a professional forensic interviewer /counselor. For that reason, it is necessary to plan educational opportunities, such as taking classes in various disciplines and sciences, including criminal justice, psychology and sociology (Kaplan University, Official Website, 2014).

A graduate degree in forensic science provides the proper knowledge intended to work in a very specific field of forensic science. As a rule, a graduate degree guarantees acquiring in-depth skills and knowledge of the subject. According to researchers, a graduate degree is a “necessary entry requirement for the forensic science profession” (Fraser & Williams, 2009, p. 586). The field of forensic social work also requires a graduate degree.  Forensic interviewers use the proper methods for conducting child abuse investigations. They need qualifications that may vary depending on the type of investigation. Forensic interviewers may work in child advocacy centers, or they may be involved in formal/informal multidisciplinary team investigations. Undoubtedly, forensic interviewers should be well-trained to succeed in interacting with children (Fisher & Schreiber, 2010).

Besides, a graduate degree provides an opportunity to have real-world experience and continual training in the chosen field. Due to internships and practicums, it is possible to achieve professionalism in the chosen career field. Most graduate programs are aimed at enhancing the skills received in previous educational institutions (Kaplan University, Official Website, 2014). The professional forensic interviewer should be competent in a number of issues, including “child interviewing techniques, child development, child abuse dynamics and efforts, legal issues regarding child witnesses, and cultural issues affecting abuse interviews and investigations” (Cross, 2007, p. 1033). In addition, the forensic interviewer should be ready to explore the major causes of possible errors in forensic interviewing and examine what should be done to enhance witness recollection. A graduate degree program helps to gain experience and special skills in interviewing children (Fisher & Schreiber, 2010).

Moreover, a graduate degree in the chosen career field is important because it ensures an increase in average salary. This fact means the salary of those employees who have undergraduate degrees or have no degrees is lower than the salary of those with graduate degrees (Fisher & Schreiber, 2010). A graduate degree in Criminal Justice requires further education, experience and training; therefore, everyone who wants to succeed in career and have well-paid job, should be ready to participate in training programs.

Conclusion

Thus, it is necessary to conclude that the chosen career field (Forensic Child Interviewer/ Counselor) requires special education, skills and experience. This occupation could be entered through a graduate program. The graduate program in Criminal Justice provides massive opportunities for everyone who wants to become a professional in criminal justice. Today it is very important to have a graduate degree in the chosen career field because a graduate degree helps to improve motivation, increase salary and demonstrate professionalism in the chosen field.

 

 

References:

Almerigogna, J., Ost, J., Akehurst L., Fluck, M.(2008). “How interviewers’ nonverbal

behaviors can affect children’s perceptions and suggestibility,” Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 100(1):17-39.

Cross, T. P., Jones, L. M., Walsh, W. A., Simone, M. & Kolko, D. (2007). “Child forensic interviewing in Children’s Advocacy Centers: Empirical data on a practice model,” Child Abuse & Neglect, 31:1031–1052

Fisher, R. P. & Schreiber, I. N. (2010). “Forensic Interviewing,” Forensic Psychiatry and Forensic Psychology, 3(3): 371-377. Retrieved from:http://www2.fiu.edu/~schreibe/Forensic%20Interviewing0001.pdf

Forensic Interviewing Protocol. (2010). State of Michigan Governor’s Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect and Department of Human Services.  Third Edition. Retrieved from:http://michigan.gov/documents/dhs/DHS-PUB-0779_211637_7.pdf

Fraser, J. & Williams, R. (2009).Handbook of Forensic Science. Routledge

Kaplan University, Official Website. (2014). Criminal Justice Program. Retrieved from:< http://start.kaplanuniversity.edu/UCJ_MSN>

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

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freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]
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