Write an introduction that addresses each of the following prompts:

What is your level of background knowledge of crime analysis?

Why are you taking the class?

How do you hope this class will enable you to pursue your future endeavors, either academically or professional

RESPOND TO TWO PEERS:

Douglas

. My experience in this field extends to a BA in Criminology, and a certificate in Crime Mapping. Most of my courses for the Crime Mapping program were entry level. I am familiar with GIS; however, I am still in the learning process as they were beginner courses! During this program, I was able to create projects using ArcGIS Pro, and also a large project for a separate class presenting crime data in an area of our choice. I also currently work as a Correctional Officer in a direct supervision jail. Aside from housing, and daily operations, I am constantly analyzing our offender system which is set up by categories such as inmates housed for sex crimes, housed for murder charges, etc. The system also generates charts by age, race, gang affiliation etc. I am hoping that this previous experience will help me as the course goes on. I also hope that this course allows me to expand my knowledge beyond entry level and develop higher level skills in Crime Analysis. My goal post graduation is to work with a federal agency investigating human trafficking, and crimes against children. I believe that this course is a step in the right direction towards my future. Several federal agencies are expecting new hires to have educational/work background with computer software, or some form of technology instead of just work experience as a police officer or a related position. In my personal opinion, compared to report writing, statistics and mathematics have not been my strongest studies, so I am willing to accept the challenge and prove myself wrong. Overall, I am very excited for this class, as it is a huge step forward in terms of my career goals. 

KERR

I am Hailey Kerr and this is my first course of graduate studies. I graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. I was recently hired at Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Fort Myers, Florida as an analyst after interning at the agency during my final semester at FGCU. My position involves working on live calls, as well as requests for information that come in from throughout the agency. I also create and disseminate bulletins and reports to the agency. I work alongside many veteran analysts who have been very helpful in assisting me with stepping into the new role. In this, I previously held knowledge of crime analysis from undergraduate coursework, but have developed a more in-depth knowledge since I began a career in the field. However, I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn.

I am taking this course to begin my pursuit of a graduate degree in Crime Analysis. With this education, I hope to gain more knowledge that will grow with my work in the field. Long term, I hope to work in a state or federal agency. With this, I am hopeful that my pursuit of this degree will only assist with growing my experience in the field and ensure I have the necessary pieces to effectively become an experienced analyst. I am very eager to begin my coursework and hope for a great semester.