I have always loved a good murder mystery! In middle school, I would go through a Nancy Drew book a day and think I could solve any crime or mystery. In high school, I discovered crime documentaries and thrillers, my favorite being Criminal Minds. Now, in college, I am on to the world of crime podcasts such as Crime Junkie or Small Town Murder. If my headphones are in that means I am in the middle of that week’s episode.
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Needless to say, I have loved the world of criminal justice for a very long time, making choosing my major and career path fairly simple. I toyed with several other options but nothing fit the way criminal justice did. I am currently studying criminology with the dream of working in behavioral analysis, to hopefully be the next Jennifer Jareau!
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Women have not always been welcome in this field. In fact, women were seen as weak and unable to handle a job in the criminal justice system. Men were seen as the only ones mentally and physically capable of handling such work. Today, women are on the rise; across big cities and counties. Women make up over 20 percent of all officers. Women have also been known to have better conflict resolution skills and are far less likely to pull their weapon on criminals.
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I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to study what I love freely as many before me were discouraged from doing so. Even though I am still in the beginning stages of my work in this field I can see that I have the ability to impact the lives of others. Women have made significant sacrifices in the system and I am proud to carry on their legacy!
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