Would a good criminal justice school admit someone who is probably an ineligble hire?

[Question]

Would a school of Criminal Justice knowingly or recklessly admit someone they know cannot pass a background investigation?

[Kimball]

Please elaborate, very broad question. :confused:

[Question]

Does a good criminal justice school screen its applicant's backgrounds before admission?

[Sierra]

Would a school of Criminal Justice knowingly or recklessly admit someone they know cannot pass a background investigation?

Does a good criminal justice school screen its applicant's backgrounds before admission?

None of the programs I am familiar with require students submit to or be able to pass a background investigation. The goal of the school is to provide an education, not act as a screening agent. The colleges I attended simply require you sign up for the class(es) and have met the prerequisites.

And using the phrase "knowingly and recklessly" implies negligence on the part of the school. I fail to see how the school can be seen as negligent because they provided the education the student requested and paid for.

[mxwelch]

None of the programs I am familiar with require students submit to or be able to pass a background investigation. The goal of the school is to provide an education, not act as a screening agent. The colleges I attended simply require you sign up for the class(es) and have met the prerequisites.

And using the phrase "knowingly and recklessly" implies negligence on the part of the school. I fail to see how the school can be seen as negligent because they provided the education the student requested and paid for.

Yep, and I'd bet that not every job associated with this field requires a BI.

[mobrien316]

A college will admit anyone who can pay the bills and meets the entrance requirements.

The likelihood of that student successfully finding work in a field related to their major is completely irrelevant.

The school is there to make money. If someone with no chance of getting hired as a cop wants to give the college money and get a degree, why would the college want to stop them?

[Kimble]

A college will admit anyone who can pay the bills and meets the entrance requirements.

The likelihood of that student successfully finding work in a field related to their major is completely irrelevant.

The school is there to make money. If someone with no chance of getting hired as a cop wants to give the college money and get a degree, why would the college want to stop them?

In most cases, this is exactly the way it is. The CJ program I used to run did give a precautionary warning from Admissions that students enrolling could be subject to background checks from hiring agencies, but nothing precluded them from enrolling. I even had an academic dean try to push a student into the CJ program who had been arrested and recently released from jail, the jail for the sheriffs office where I was a sworn LEO. :rolleyes:

Colleges have no duty to preclude anyone from enrolling in their programs and making profits from those with backgrounds that will hinder their career in their major.

[Johninaustin]

Ever seen a local college police "academy" program?

Just about every community college in Texas has them. Most graduates will NEVER work in LE because of suitability issues. You can tell when class is over because you are flooded with applications from folks on probation. ;)

The schools want money. The students give them money. No more, no less.

[Question]

Thanks to all who answered my question.

I come from the finance/economics discipline (and I used to be an engineering major before I dropped.) My career was and is an extremely important point of discussion with my advisers in both majors.

Furthermore, I would think my school benefits from a robust salary survey from its graduates. I can't see how having many of your students working in a McDonalds after graduation if their background is disqualifying is a good thing.

However, I will concede most finance/economics schools don't ask if you have been convicted of theft. You cannot work in a bank for life with a theft conviction, no matter how minor, without a waiver. So I can understand, though I don't agree with, criminal justice, education, and nursing schools not probing through an applicant's background.

[manahmanah]

There is nothing secretive taught in criminal justice classes though. There is nothing taught to a CJ student that can't be found online. Just because someone has a CJ degree does not make them in any way eligible for work in the law enforcement field.

We have dirtbag after dirtbag apply to work in the law enforcement field every day, some of them even have post grad degrees. Your level of education will not mean a single thing if you are a person of poor moral standing.

[Kimble]

So I can understand, though I don't agree with, criminal justice, education, and nursing schools not probing through an applicant's background.

In a perfect world CJ programs would check the backgrounds of potential students, but then again, in a perfect world you wouldn't have to do that for those seeking job in the CJ field. Hell, if it was perfect, cops would be out of a job.

As someone who used to run a CJ department, I know for private schools that don't receive funding from the state, resources are available through incoming tuition. This means the college building, books and other teaching resources, instructor compensation, staff salaries, electricity, plumbing for the bathrooms, etc. is all paid for via the incoming tuition. If students are not paying to enroll, tuition (and the profits it brings) dries up and resources are cut. While "career colleges" advertise they provide eduation that places people into the career field, the truth of the matter is that they provide education that is marketable in today's economy and is likely to produce a profit. The college degree is very much a product, and just like any other "business", the college is in business to sell their product. With the popularity of shows like Law and Order, CSI, NCIS:D and other crime shows and movies, CJ degrees are a VERY profitable product right now.

Is it going to affect the college's percentages of placing students in the career field if they enroll students with shady (or even criminal) records? Sure, but its a cost of doing business, and is seen as a necessity to keep enrollment numbers (i.e. tution/profit $) where they need to be, or increasing them. I've heard of CJ programs that do conduct background checks via online resources, but they tend to stop using these once they realize the list of qualified students (and their tution $) becomes far less than is needed to run the department/college. Suffice to say, if a college is enrolling students with questionable backgrounds into CJ programs, it's really no worse than offering law degrees in prisons (it's not like a convicted felon with a prison-earned JD will ever be Attorney General).

[Question]

Bill Clinton became Attorney General. :D (Apologies if I offended any Democrats.)

ROS, your explanation seems right on. Thanks.

[mcsap]

I saw a Discovery Channel on a mass murderer who got a CJ degree after his initial conviction / incarceration for assault etc and before he was arrested for the killings.

THey think he was able to avoid capture so long as he was trained in evidence collection.

I do not recall his name.

[CelicaGuy]

My community college "academy" program (where we are certifiable when we get our degreee) does a full background check and interviews just to get into the program.

Now anyone can join and get a CJ degree, but only ones who pass the interviews and such can join the academy.

[BP348]

I can't see any college/University wanting to spend the money on background checks.

Plus then there is the liability factor afterwards. Can you see some idiot taking his/her college to court after earning his/her degree because the school knew he/she would never be able to obtain employment as a LEO because of prior arrest history? :eek:

You know some one would do it :rolleyes:

I agree with ROS.