As a
CJ professor, I often hear gripes about having to do research/term papers. I'll hear, "How will me writing about the history of law enforcement make me a better cop?" For those taking
CJ classes (or any
college courses) in order to get a job in the
CJ field, look at your term papers as training opportunities. Learn how to write well, how to communicate your thoughts, observations and knowledge into written word, and how to do it where others can understand it.
Take a look at the following:
Quote:
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That that is is that that isn't isn't is that it it is.
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Does that make a bit of sense to you? It didn't to me the first time I saw it, but what about now (with proper punctuation added):
Quote:
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That that is, is. That that isn't, isn't. Is that it? It is.
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Still a goofy example, but it makes more sense. Same words, but with proper punctuation used. Cops are not expected to be English professors (far from it), but understand that contrary to what Hollywood would have us believe, a HUGE percentage of police work involves writing reports. What is never shown in movies: Bruce Willis's John McClane character writing thorough reports on the shootings he was involved in while saving the hostages from terrorists in
Diehard, and how he had to articulate how the shots he fired were justified based on a present and imminent threat of serious bodily harm or death to himself and/or third parties.
However, in the real world, the "action movie" stuff doesn't happen often (some will go a whole career without ever firing a firearm off a training range), but reports happen daily, even hourly in busy departments. If you are serious about wanting to work in this profession, take your education and writing skills seriously. Don't view your term papers as just busy work, but rather as tempering your skills to make you a better cop on the streets one day.
Term Papers = good training
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