Difference Between Criminology vs Criminal justice vs Forensic science

What distinguishes criminology from criminal justice?

You probably wouldn’t get the same answers if you asked 100 students what they thought criminology was. Due to the popularity of shows like CSI, many people associate criminology with contemporary forensic investigations and drug cartels. But criminology existed long before these empirical methods.

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What distinguishes criminology from criminal justice?

When Cesare Beccaria argued in his book On Crimes and Punishments (1764) that because criminal laws restrict individual freedoms, those who are accused should be presumed innocent, the field of criminology was born in the eighteenth century.

Criminology was initially a legal critique and is as old as the current legal system. Criminology takes a critical stance toward both the law and how it is applied, placing less emphasis on how the criminal justice system is run.

The University of Law’s Criminology program is a legal analysis, whereas Criminal Justice is a study of how the law is put into practice in the criminal justice system. Criminal justice studies focus on how the system works rather than the law itself. It focuses on issues like gathering evidence and forensic science that is evidence-based.

Students who study criminology and criminal justice are prepared for careers in a variety of fields, including those outside the criminal justice system. A probationary career might result from a degree in either field. However, a criminology student may see it as a way to intervene in the lives of people who have been harmed by the same system. A criminal justice student may see it as a way to support the criminal justice system.

What kinds of jobs can you get with a degree in criminology or criminology justice?

Should they choose academia, both courses also prepare students for future postgraduate study. The list of possible careers that can be pursued with a degree in criminal justice or criminology is provided below; it is by no means comprehensive but serves to highlight the variety of options that these degrees enable.

Community safety
Crime prevention
Youth offender teams
The Home Office
Fraud investigation
Investigative data analyst
Police officer
Probation officer
Youth offending support officer
Emergency planning officer
Offender case administrator
Adult guidance worker
Charity officer
Data scientist
Forensic computer analyst
Housing manager/officer
Local government officer
Paralegal
Social researcher
Solicitor
Customs
Immigration

The law, when wielded responsibly and with respect, serves as an essential tool in promoting justice and maintaining social order. It upholds fairness, protects rights and freedoms, resolves disputes, and promotes equality. By adhering to the principles enshrined in the law, individuals and society as a whole can benefit from a more just and harmonious environment. If you want to make changes or work in the criminal justice system, first, you must understand the law and how it is applied unfairly to some marginalized groups, etc.

However, it is crucial that those who work within the criminal justice system possess a deep understanding of the law and its potential for unfairness. By acknowledging the unequal application of the law and actively working to rectify it, we can create a more just and inclusive society for all.

In an era where the criminal justice system’s impact on our daily lives continues to grow, a working understanding of the system is essential to drive change and promote equity. By comprehending the complexities, identifying disparities, advocating for reform, and engaging communities, individuals can actively contribute to making the criminal justice system more equitable.

What is a forensic science degree?

A forensic science degree program is a specialized field of study offered in higher education institutions. This program encompasses a comprehensive understanding of biology, chemistry, and physics, combining these disciplines to form a solid foundation for a career in forensic science. It instructs students on how to investigate crimes scientifically, find criminals, and investigate crime causes.

With a forensic science degree, candidates can examine physical evidence recovered from crime scenes. In addition, they can conduct chemical analyses of biological evidence such as DNA, fingerprints, and bodily fluids.

Additionally, a degree in forensic science can prepare students to gather evidence at crime scenes. It can also evaluate evidence, report pertinent data, and examine crimes using specialized scientific methods.

Criminal Justice vs. forensic science degree

Law enforcement, the justice system, and forensic investigation are all professions that graduates of forensic science or criminal justice degree programs can pursue.

However, despite their general similarity, these two areas of study are distinct from one another due to a few significant differences. To help you better understand the differences between forensic science and criminal justice degrees, here is a side-by-side comparison:

Length

Colleges and universities offer four-year degree programs in criminal justice or forensic science. Graduates of this program can obtain a bachelor’s degree in either discipline. This is typically the minimum educational requirement for those seeking to work in the fields of criminal justice or law enforcement.

Through accelerated programs, which may run for two or three years without significant summer or holiday breaks, students may speed up their academic progress.

Associate degree programs in criminal justice or forensic science provide candidates with a two-year educational pathway to acquire the fundamental skills required for entry-level roles in these fields. These programs offer a comprehensive curriculum that covers a wide range of topics and provide students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Graduates of these programs are well-equipped to pursue various entry-level positions within the criminal justice or forensic science sectors and can continue building their careers from there.

Despite this, it’s important to remember that employers favour hiring applicants with bachelor’s degrees because a four-year degree program can give applicants more in-depth knowledge and higher-level competencies. This is especially true for applicants in forensic science, who might face competition from applicants with master’s degrees in the subject.

Purpose

Students who pursue degrees in criminal justice learn about criminology theoretically. Students who major in criminal justice typically study various perspectives on crime. These perspectives include topics like their causes and effects on the individual as well as the larger society.

Criminal justice as a discipline frequently looks at crime through a sociological, philosophical, or legal lens to better understand it. Students can then examine various court processes, law enforcement practices, the effectiveness of particular law enforcement systems, policing tactics, the morality of law enforcement and corrections, and the most effective ways to stop crimes from happening.

Comparatively, forensic science degrees are intended to instruct students in the scientific analysis of evidence used to investigate crimes after they occur.

Candidates can learn about specialized techniques for gathering, protecting, and evaluating evidence to better understand why and how a crime occurred by majoring in forensic science.

Students may learn how to infer inferences about criminal offenders and their intentions using this as a foundation. In order to create a more efficient method for processing criminal evidence, forensic science as a field integrates various techniques from other disciplines like biology, genetics, chemistry, physics, and criminology.

Areas of study

Both criminal justice and forensic science degrees typically cover different fields of study and coursework because they serve different purposes in terms of what they offer students. For instance, students pursuing a criminal justice degree may enrol in courses in the following subject areas:

Criminology
Sociology
Legal theory
Philosophy and ethics
Law enforcement
Corrections
Psychology

Comparatively, students in forensic science degree programs might cover the following fields:

Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Toxicology
Forensic anthropology
Forensic pathology
Crime scene investigation
Case reporting
DNA and biological analysis
Criminology

Concentrations

Students have the option to focus on a specific area of specialization with both criminal justice and forensic science degrees. Students pursuing a criminal justice degree may have the option of specializing in areas such as corrections, intelligence, prison reform, policing, emergency management, cybercrime, criminal behaviour, homeland security, law enforcement policy, or advocacy. By allowing students to take a specific set of classes, each of these concentrations may inspire them to pursue careers in various industries.

Even though these options typically only offer a broad overview of what forensics is and the value it adds to criminal investigation proceedings rather than in-depth scientific training, schools occasionally offer forensic science as a concentration for students pursuing criminal justice degrees.

Students majoring in forensic science have the option to pursue various concentrations within the field. One of these alternatives is to focus on topics such as DNA, genetics, serology, toxicology, pathology, and death investigation. Each of these concentrations provides students with a comprehensive understanding of specific scientific procedures, which can be applied to a wide range of career paths.

Possible career paths

Graduates with degrees in criminal justice have a diverse range of career options available to them. Whether it’s in law enforcement, advocacy, security, or other related fields, their knowledge and skills can be applied to make a positive impact on the criminal justice system and society as a whole. However, criminal justice students might pursue the following positions below after they may have completed their degrees:

Police officer
FBI agent
Criminal investigator
Immigration officer
Border patrol officer
Parole officer
Probation officer
Security guard
Public safety officer
Detective
Victim advocate
Paralegal
Lawyer
Substance abuse counsellor

Graduates with forensic science degrees may work in related fields but in different capacities. Following are some career options for graduates of forensic science programs:

Crime scene technician
Forensic scientist
Forensic toxicologist
Intelligence officer
Pathologist
Evidence technician
Fingerprint analyst
DNA analyst
Polygraph examiner
Computer forensic specialist
Arson investigator
Forensic psychologist
Forensic accountant
Forensic nurse
Autopsy technician
Legal consultant
Medical examiner

Further educational opportunities

A graduate may pursue advanced educational opportunities to build a more sophisticated knowledge base and advance their careers in accordance with their professional interests.

This is especially true for jobs where master’s and doctoral degrees are required for applicants to be considered. Graduate programs in criminal justice or other related fields, such as law, philosophy, sociology, or psychology, are options open to students who earn undergraduate degrees in the discipline.

These graduates may be able to work as attorneys or hold executive positions in the criminal justice system thanks to their legal education.

Graduates in criminal justice may also be able to work in research positions that look at crime, law enforcement, policing tactics, and corrections. This is done by studying philosophy, sociology, or psychology.

In contrast, graduates of forensic science undergraduate programs may benefit from a variety of graduate-level forensic science programs or related fields like cybersecurity, information security, or digital forensics to hone their skills.

In addition to their studies in forensic science, some students may choose to further their education by enrolling in medical school. This decision opens up a range of specialized career paths within the field of forensic science, such as becoming a forensic pathologist, psychiatrist, or medical examiner.