Criminal justica major that needs HELP

[Kristy805]

Hello! So i recently, as in 2 sememsters ago, started AHC as a criminal justice major. Have gotten all A's in the classes and LOVE it! I feel its so interesting. the only problem is Once we started talking about the background and polograph exams i started getting nervous. I know no big deal riight tell the truth. But im scared that my past drug usage (not that it was excessive, just experimental,plus i have a medical marijuana) will disqualify me for all jobs :( I originally wanted to work at a juvenile hall and maybe move up to be a juvenile probation officer but i feel like im going to finish college and be stuck with no job! :eek: can someone help me with this situation? I thought well i could just get a job as an undercover at a casino or Macys But how much does that really pay? I love criminal justice field and dont know what to do!

[Switchback]

Medical marijuana, huh? Hmmm... sounds like a no-go to me. And also, is your definition of "experimental" the same as those doing your BI?

...and just because you love criminal justice does not equate to you being compatible with an LE career.

(and what possesed you to use the frickin' small, pink font?)

[Aussie George]

(and what possesed you to use the frickin' small, pink font?)

Don't be a hater. After all it matches your man bag!! :D:p

[mcsap]

A lot of people think by watching COPS this is a fun job. It isn't and MOST can't do it. You seem like one of the MOST.

Good luck with whatever career you choose , there are PLENTY outside of LE.

[Kristy805]

hmm.. I like pink and im a girl so yeah! But um its not that i like the option because of cops. I dont want to be a cop i want to be a JIO. its different. what does ""experimental" the same as those doing your BI?" mean? i dont get it! sorry. but either way by experimental i mean ive tried a few differnt kinds of drugs while i was in high school, im now almost 22 and havn't done any hard drugs except marijuana now and again, does that make me incapable of getting any type of job in the Criminal Justice world? (like JIO, Corrections, Court system, Lose prevention..like undercover watching)

[mcsap]

So what kind of different drugs did you do in high school ?

[MP_Steve]

I'm only 22 years old. Know how I stopped using experimental drugs? I never started. I've never even tried anything. I've known for quite some time what I wanted to do. Be a Police Officer. Now I got picked up by a department and I'm in training.

Here's a guideline that I used:
1) Don't ever try drugs or get into any trouble whatsoever.
2) Join the Army as a Military Policeman my senior year of HS.
3) Use what experience I've gained so far to land me a job in LE.
4) Get hired and have no problems on my BI because I have never done anything illegal.

I wish more people our age and younger would realize exactly what kind of effect drug usage may have on their careers. I think OUR definition of EXPERIMENTAL is maybe trying Mary J once or twice. Anything more is way above that. No offense, but I think you're SOL for anykind of public CJ career. Maybe you'll have some luck with Macy's or a casino like you said earlier.

Perhaps you should've thought twice about trying drugs in the first place. :rolleyes:

Good luck

[Switchback]

...yes, you're recurring use of mari-jane WILL preclude you from a lot of LE jobs. Now if you are talking loss prevention and such, that is not LE.

[BP348]

[COLOR="Magenta"][B][SIZE="1"]not that it was excessive, just experimental,plus i have a medical marijuana

and maybe move up to be a juvenile probation officer

What is medical marijuana? :confused: What other types of drugs did you use?

as far as the, "Is there definition of experimental the same as yours". Your definition of experimental may be I tried marijuana 6 or 7 times. I would think that most agencies concider "experimental" as 2 or 3 times. But that will be a case by case for each agency.

It's pretty easy if you want a job as a Juvenile probation officer? STOP USING DRUGS!!!! and get a Batchelors degree. A term in the military can't hurt but like LE jobs it's not for everyone.

[Kimble]

im now almost 22 and havn't done any hard drugs except marijuana now and again, does that make me incapable of getting any type of job in the Criminal Justice world?

This statement seems to indicate you are still using marijuana, just not hard drugs anymore. If this is correct, I doubt very seriously you will be able to get a job in the criminal justice field, law enforcement or otherwise.

[noelchabanel]

A job working with kids who may be in trouble for using drugs? As someone who used to work in a similar area (with kids who WEREN'T necessarily in trouble or on drugs), I can tell you it will be a problem for them if you are still doing it. And medical marijuana is usually touted as an aid to cancer patients on chemotherapy to help them hold their food down if I am not mistaken...are you hoping to go through a hard physical training program in that condition? If you're taking it for something less dramatic, there are many other effective legal drugs that won't ruin a legal-field career...maybe you should find a new doctor--you might REALLY get sick some day and you'd be trusting that doc with the treatment plan, think about it!

[1depd]

Your best defense against past drug use is time. Don't do ANY illegal drugs, period. The more time you put between your application and your last drug use the better. A year or two probably won't cut it. We are talking several years of clean living, to prove you are serious.

[falcon four]

Kristy, it is imparitive that you stop any and all drug use that you are currently involving yourself in. This shows a complete immaturity on your part and complete disregard for the laws that one day you "hope" to enforce. As 1depd stated, you need to stop immediately and put alot of time in between your last drug usage and whenever you wish to apply for a CJ job. Get involved in your community. Help young kids. Help the elderly. You will learn alot from doing this and it should teach you a thing or two.

My intuition is that you stand a very slim chance, if any, to get a job fresh out of college. You need much more "clean" time before they even consider you.