Importance Of Liberal Arts In Law Enforcement

1167 Words3 Pages

The Importance of Liberal Arts in Law Enforcement Careers
In discussions of law enforcement one controversial issue has been whether liberal arts courses are necessary or should be required. In “The New Liberal Arts” Sanford J. Ungar believes that liberal arts are crucial to any professional career. Mike Rose however disagrees, and suggests that a college education in general is not necessarily a must. Although both articles make a good argument, I concur with Ungar. The liberal arts are the foundation in almost any professional field, and teach students how to adapt, especially in law enforcement.
Most people will readily agree that higher education is crucial to success although tremendously expensive in some cases. When it comes to the liberal …show more content…

The influence of higher education on police officer habits would surprise many according to Matthew D. Bostrom, D.P.A of the Saint Paul Police Department in “Police Chief Magazine-The Professional Voice of Law Enforcement”. Although a degree is required for some agencies and considered ideal for any person looking to join the law enforcement field, surveys show otherwise says Bostrom. According to a study conducted in St. Paul, Minnesota there were more on-duty vehicle collisions by officers with formal education beyond high school than those who only obtained a high school diploma. The article also shows figures indicating more disciplinary actions towards officers with college degrees and a significant difference in those of officers with high school diplomas only. The measurements of work habits shown indicate that perhaps a college degree in general is not necessary to be an effective police officer. Traffic Officer James Dunn of the California Highway Patrol in an interview said, “a degree can be beneficial, but some people are very eloquent and knowledgeable even without attending college-a person can learn the specific duties of any job, but college does not teach you the responsibilities of being a police officer. You learn that by hands-on training”. Although a degree is helpful, Officer Dunn admits that he has been very successful in the law

Show More
Related

  • Thompson Valley Police Recruit Case Summary

    1847 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Thompson Valley Police Service is seeking to double the number of police recruits over the next three years. In an attempt to attract more applicants, the newly appointed Police Commissioner, Commissioner Jason DeVillain is proposing two key changes to the current selection process. Firstly, Commissioner DeVillain is proposing to eliminate the requirement for partial or completed tertiary education. Secondly, it is being proposed that psychological testing should be removed from the selection process. As a research and policy officer for the Thompson Valley Police Service, the validity and likely impact of the above two proposed changes will be investigated thoroughly, followed by recommendations to Commissioner DeVillain to ensure the selection process is as effective as possible in selecting the most suitable candidates for the new police recruits. The role of a general duties police officer is broad in nature and requires the officer to be efficient in many areas, ranging from administrative duties to conflict resolution and problem solving. In addition to the recording and logging of all jobs attended while on duty, the officer may be required to prepare documents for court hearings, where written communication skills will also be

    Read More

  • William Cronon's The Goals Of A Liberal Education

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    Liberal educations benefit students in the long run, long after students have paid their loans. People are able to be informed on national topic, while also being able to be self dependent. Two qualities that are essential in the modern society. I believe it is important to have such a basic understanding of education and knowledge, just like what Nussbaum agreed too in her essay. However, I also believe the curriculum should be centered around making students a better person. Institutions should try to produce good people with the right intentions instead of just focusing on testing intelligence, similar to what Cronon focused on in his essay. If we can incorporate both of these important features into our liberal education system, then and only then, will we be thriving as a society. Graduates will have a good understanding of knowledge from an array of different fields, as well as having important traits that will carry on for the rest of their

    Read More

  • In Defense Of A Liberal Education By Fareed Zakaria

    900 Words  | 2 Pages

    Have you ever read something and thought “What a bunch of crap”? Well that’s the reaction I had to reading Fareed Zakaria’s book, In Defense Of a Liberal Education. Over the course of the book, Zakaria makes the argument that attending college with the specific intention to get trained for a job is “Short sighted and needlessly limiting”. Zakaria also breaks down the differences between the United State’s education system with other countries across the globe. By attending college with the intention of receiving critical thinking skills and being able to express our ideas, rather than just going to train for a job, Zakaria believes that the average student would be much better off in the world after they graduate.

    Read More

  • Charles Murray's Article Are Too Many People Going To College

    852 Words  | 2 Pages

    Are too many people pursuing a liberal studies degree when it is not necessary? When planning for the future, people need to be well educated about what they are about to be doing. People need to base their future stories on what will benefit them the most Charles Murray, the author of “Are Too Many People Going to College?”, seems to think to many people are going to college. In his article, he discusses many different points about why to many people are getting degrees. However, Murray’s text is ineffective because he is very vague, his points do not always correlate with each other, and he did not target a large enough audience.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The New Liberal Arts

    790 Words  | 2 Pages

    Instead, Sanford J. Ungar presents the arguments that all higher education is expensive and needs to be reevaluated for Americans. He attempts to divert the argument of a liberal arts education tuition by stating “ The cost of American higher education is spiraling out id control, and liberal-arts colleges are becoming irrelevant because they are unable to register gains i productivity or to find innovative ways of doing things” (Ungar 661). The author completely ignores the aspects of paying for a liberal arts degree or even the cost comparison to a public university. Rather, Ungar leads the reader down a “slippery slope” of how public universities attain more funding and grants from the government, while liberal arts colleges are seemingly left behind. The author increasingly becomes tangent to the initial arguments he presented by explaining that students have a more interactive and personal relationship with their professors and other students. Sanford J. Ungar did not address one aspect of the cost to attend a liberal arts college or how it could be affordable for students who are not in the upper class.

    Read More

  • Analysis: The New Liberal Arts

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    College is a popular topic for most, and Sanford J. Ungar and Charles Murray have a unique way of explaining both their opinions. In his essay, “The New Liberal Arts,” Sanford J. Ungar advocates that the liberal arts should be everybody’s education, regardless of the fact that most Americans are facing economic hardship. The first misconception that he begins to explain is “a liberal arts degree is a luxury that most families can no longer afford”. Career education” is what we now must focus on.”

    Read More

  • Three Reasons College Still Matters By Andrew Delbanco

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    In recent years, many have debated whether or not a college education is a necessary requirement to succeed in the field of a persons’ choice and become an outstanding person in society. On one hand, some say college is very important because one must contribute to society. The essay Three Reasons College Still Matters by Andrew Delbanco shows three main reasons that students should receive their bachelor’s degree. On the other hand, many question the point of wasting millions of dollars on four years or maybe more to fight for highly competitive jobs that one might not get. Louis Menand wrote an article based on education titled Re-Imagining Liberal Education. This article challenges the main thought many americans have after receiving a secondary education. Louis Menand better illustrates the reasons why a student should rethink receiving a post secondary education better than Andrew Delbanco’s three reasons to continue a person’s education.

    Read More

  • My Ride Along With The Lexington Police Department

    1716 Words  | 4 Pages

    I chose to do my ride along with the Lexington Police Department. The police officer that I got to ride along with was Officer Ernesti. Officer Ernesti has an associates degree in criminal justice. After high school he attended Southeast Community College in Lincoln. He says that he wished he chose a different field to study. The reason is was because he got in a fight with a suspect and injured his arm. He was afraid that he did something severe to his arm that he would not be able to perform any police duty. If he would have had a different degree he could have fallen back to something that does not relate to criminal justice. Before getting hired by the Lexington Police Department in January of 2014 he worked in Gosper County for two years. During his time at Gosper County he was a K-9 handler.

    Read More

  • Career Goals In Criminal Justice

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    The impact of my career goals has not changed about law enforcement, just my thoughts. So, to be efficient and effective this education really needs to be added back into being a requirement in all states. At least, minimum of an Associates in Criminal Justice. Thereafter, education should continue to be ongoing, to keep better policing as a constant pursuit. Reaching this goal will span the career of the officer. Reasons for this is that the magnitude of crime issues has changed and will probably change again.

    Read More

  • Career In Law Enforcement: A Career For The FBI

    1395 Words  | 3 Pages

    A career in law enforcement is a unique opportunity that has intrigued me for the majority of my life. My curiosity likely stems from multiple family members of mine, who either have a career in law enforcement or had one previously. With my family history and my interest in law enforcement, it would appear that selecting an occupation in law enforcement would be a simple task. Yet, I often ponder whether I would prefer to work for a municipal agency such as the San Francisco Police Department, or a federal agency, namely the FBI. I have researched a multitude of factors such as qualifications, requirements, salary, and job description to assist me in determining which profession is the right one for me.

    Read More

  • Thin Blue Line Essay

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    The majority of departments only require a high school diploma. Although a college education is not a requirement, it can greatly increase one’s chances of getting hired. A degree in criminal justice or criminology would be very beneficial, but an associate or bachelor's degree in any department gives a person the best chance of advancement within his or her specific department. In fact, most higher positions such as chief of police require a bachelor’s degree or higher. Besides this, an individual who is going into law enforcement will need to attend a police

    Read More

  • Criminal Profiling

    1761 Words  | 4 Pages

    Walker, Jeffery T., Ronald G. Burns, Jeffrey Bumgarner, and Michele P. Bratina. "Federal Law Enforcement Careers: Laying the Groundwork." Journal of Criminal Justice 19.1 (2008): 110-135. Web. 20 Apr 2011.

    Read More

  • Importance Of College By Andrew Delbanco

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    We live the truth every day, working to keep the ideal of democratic education alive. The best reason to care for college, who goes,and what happens to them when they get there, is not what it does for society, but what it can do for individuals.like the elder guy said, you thought me how to enjoy life. What he meant is college helped him read, help him crave for works of art, heightened his alertness to color from melody. He was grateful for such an education given to him. As a person regardless of what kind of origin we have, we have the right to pursue happiness. In america today at every kind of institution education is at risk. Student are persuade and program, trained to live from task to task. To many colleges do to little to save them debilitating frenzy that makes liberal education marginal if it is offered at

    Read More

  • Pursuing a Degree in Criminal Justice

    1751 Words  | 4 Pages

    The mission of Franklin Pierce Universities Criminal Justice Program is to produce graduates who have demonstrated competency in administration of justice, corrections, criminological theory, and law enforcement the program provides students with essential knowledge in the areas of policing, courts and corrections within a solid liberal arts framework. Special attention is given to career roles, social interaction and social forces that contribute to so...

    Read More

  • The Law Enforcement Hiring Process

    1126 Words  | 3 Pages

    This paper will show four different police departments that are currently hiring or recruiting for police officers. There will be a summary on the research found on the process used to recruit police officers. It will also show their current hiring trends and what hiring practices they have that are successful or not successful. The paper will also go over the different methods departments use to train their new officers and their values.

    Read More

More about Importance Of Liberal Arts In Law Enforcement

Open Document