Criminology personal statement

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INSTEAD USE IT AS A GUIDE.

Example 1

"I have always been interested in criminology from an early age and have studied related subjects to it

at both GCSE and A level. Whilst at college I visited a local police station on an arranged tour and it

was after this experience that I became interested in a future career with the police service.

To achieve my aim I have decided to enrol on a criminology degree course that would strengthen any

future application to join the police. Over the past two years I have also under took part time

voluntary work with organisations that are involved in rehabilitating offenders and supporting the

victims of crime. This work has given me invaluable real life experience of the criminal justice system

and prison service as well as a deeper understanding of the reasons for criminal activity. I also now

have a clear practical interpretation of criminological theories and research methods, both areas which

I feel will be valuable additions to what I learn academically.

I am now looking to enrol at an exciting and reputable university and on a course that will help me to

fulfil my long term ambition. After reading the course content of your prospectus I started to take an

interest in your institution as it seemed to have everything that I was looking for. Furthermore during

a visit to your campus I was also impressed by the helpful and friendly attitude of the lecturers and

other staff. They all had time to talk to me about certain issues I was unsure of and freely offered me

their expert advice. I therefore feel that your Law & Criminology School will be the most appropriate

place for me to pursue my degree.

I consider myself to be a hardworking, mature and responsible individual who is looking forward to

the challenges of university life, both academically and socially."

Example 2

"Few issues attract more public attention and generate more public debate than those involving crime.

Read any newspaper, watch any news programme and a story are sure to be in there somewhere. Its

something that is part of our society and sadly an everyday occurrence for many people living in our

inner cities.

The study of crime, societys response to it and ways to prevent it are all areas that have interested me

from my teenage years. To me the reasons for criminal behaviour and breaking the law are varied and

interesting; its an area that I want to learn more about. This unhealthy interest in the criminal world

has encouraged me to pursue the subject at degree level and to seriously consider a career in a related

field.

My ambition in the future is to possibly join the police force, work with young offenders or be

involved in the legal profession in some capacity; however I have not fully made up my mind yet.

Whatever career path I do eventually decide on I have come to the conclusion that having a degree in

criminology will benefit me by firstly allowing me to keep my options open and secondly by

strengthening my application towards any job role that I do end up applying for.

I studied A level criminology and law at college and found that the course exceeded my expectations

and was even more enjoyable than I thought it would be. The classes and workshops were very

interactive and we had discussions on related issues where the lecturer would encourage students to

get involved and voice their opinions. There was a good combination of lectures and seminars along

with a lot of coursework that had to be done in your own time through research and report writing. I

found this challenging at first but later on in the course I came to appreciate it as it helped me to

become more self-disciplined and focused in my studies.

Studying the behaviour of criminals or investigating their crimes will always be challenging. To help

me better understand this field and to gain further experience in it I have worked over the summer

months as a volunteer with a local Victim Support charity. I got to work with both current, and ex-

offenders, assisting them through the behavioural rehabilitation process. I wouldnt have met the

kinds of people I did here anywhere else, the experience was absolutely amazing.

Presently I am looking for a course that will provide me with a critical outlook on crime and criminal

behaviour and also give me a strong grounding for any future career. My aim is to learn about key

legislation, the effective management of offenders, the concept of criminal justice and the need to

understand issues that relate to crime and criminality.

During my search for a university to study at I became aware of the reputation that your institution

has for providing degree qualifications that are meaningful and highly regarded. When I came to look

around your campus I got talking to the lecturers who were really helpful. I had a meeting with the

course leader and she explained the programme in detail, it sounded very interesting and seemed to be

exactly what I wanted to do. The modules on your course are set up to relate to real people in real-life

situations whilst at the same time as looking at the wider theories. The material covered in them is

also wide ranging, offering more than just the basics of the discipline.

Overall, I feel I have really matured and grown in confidence through what I have learnt at college

and my experiences of working with Victims Support. I believe I am now ready and fully prepared for

enrolling on a full time university degree course."