Step away from your criminal justice degree craze. Sit down and relax, cause another reality TV show has made its debut. I was scanning the cable channels last week and I stumbled upon Police Women of Broward County on TLC. At first I though this would be another COPS show, but after watching the 1st episode I really liked it. This show packs a punch that even the most popular “manly” shows can’t deliver.

These chicks were relentless, yet very professional and likable. The pilot screening was great and I hope there’s more shows to follow. Here’s a sneak peak:

Did you see the show? Let us know what you thought about it.

So far, my favorite Police Women of Broward County are Ana and Andrea.

You can find out what police officer job entails at the police officer careers section.

He Doesn’t!

I went to court the other day and overhead a tenacious injury lawyer presenting a case for his client. I didn’t care for the details, but when he started going into the medical and technical terms associated with Taser related injuries his client sustained I nearly wanted to hit him upside the head with, umm… a book!

I’ve had enough with all the TV shows, newspapers, and even educated newscasters feeding the American public with misleading information. Sensationalized headlines and articles are flooding the human mind to the point where we collectively become dumber and dumber by the minute.

If you picked up a newspaper, read an article on the Web, or watched TV in the last year, you probably heard of Tasers and their 50,000 volt strike. However, behind the smoke screen, there lies another number, and it’s closer to 5,000.

It seems the media doesn’t like to inform the public about all the pertinent facts – what a shocker. It’s not feasible to explain that a Taser’s power output is 50,000 volts (estimated) and penetrates the human skin releasing approximately 5,000 volts into the body. The real shock is 90% less, but no, the media likes to feed us the higher number, and we buy it. In all likelihood, 50,000 volts would kill the healthiest man or cause permanent brain damage in majority of survivors. So please, before you open your mouth and start up an interesting conversation, or a legal proceeding, get the facts straight.

F.Y.I. – Taser is actually the name of the company that manufactures stun guns. This device is widely used in the law enforcement community, especially by police officers. It is meant to protect the lives of law enforcement officers as well as those on the receiving end – mainly used as an alternative to lethal force. As with any weapon, injuries do occur, but are mainly caused by the fall to the ground (due to incapacitation). Deaths do occur, but are very rare.

ABC came out with a new TV show for 2009: Homeland Security USA. This TV show focuses on U.S. Homeland Security initiatives organized by the U.S. Border and Customs, Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other law enforcement agencies.

If you are planning on studying or working within the Criminal Justice field you should take a look at the potential academic and career options awaiting you. As you can tell already, education has a lot to do with the type of career you can bid for, therefore seeing shows like Homeland Security USA, DEA, Manhunters, Why I Ran, Crime 360, or even 24 can help you decide if you really want to pursue this Criminal Justice thing at all. Right?

DEA is back on Spike TV. The 2nd season will feature drug enforcement agents in undercover operations, surveillance techniques, and explosive drug raids. New city, new DEA agents, new thrills!

New season debuts on Tuesday February 10th at 10 PM ET / 9 PM CT.

I watched the first season and loved it. Here’s what to look forward to in the next:

Do you like DEA Season 2 or DEA Season 1 better? Other shows worth mentioning?

I was watching TV last night and found myself glued to the screen, watching a documentary. It wasn’t just any documentary. It was a History Channel production “King,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that is. You might ask, what does Marin Luther King has to do with the law enforcement community and the criminal justice system? Well, plenty!

The August 26, 1963 famous “I Have A Dream” speech is one of the most memorable moments of that era. It was initiated by a charismatic Dr. King to bridge the racial divide in the United States. The same racial divide which devoured millions upon millions of blacks who were unemployed, unjustly treated, and unable to contain ravaged emotions. In the end, it was the same racism that changed the criminal justice system forever.

Pre – Martin Luther King, Jr., Corruption, and Injustice

Prior to that iconic day in 1963, the same year John F. Kennedy was killed, the U.S. law enforcement community was upholding unjust laws targeting African-Americans; laws which should have been defunct ages ago, by today’s standards.

To me, the images of spraying non-violent protesters with high-pressure streams of water, executing unprovoked beatings, and falsely arresting black minorities were very eerie. I never had to live through that kind of separatism, and even though I comprehend that the times were different then, I can’t swallow this gut wrenching feeling those images leave me with.

The corruption level of the criminal justice system in the 1950′s and 1960′s was enormous. Throughout Dr. King’s peace campaign he and his followers were chastised and scorned by same government entities on which we now rely on for protection. One infamous tirade involves a very well known FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover.

Hoover was adamant about stopping the Peace Movement. In fact he made it his personal vendetta.

Just Imagine

Can you imagine the Federal Bureau of Investigation sending you harassing letters, tape recordings, and photographs just because you spoke up about what you believed in? What about telephone wire-taps and constant surveillance which invades your personal life because you protected someone that needed the protection? It seems unjust and inhumane, doesn’t it? Surely, you can say: “it depends on the situation,” and “not all cases are alike.” However, the fact of the matter is, how do you question something that is morally wrong, yet laws and prevalent majority prohibit you to act on it? The esteemed FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover, could have cared less.

From the perspective of those victimized by the police and the U.S. government the law enforcement was a sham. From the vantage point of racist whites, who had strong roots in their traditions, the actions of upholding self-serving laws were just. And, from the view point of a moral Caucasian police officer, who knows that a line must be drawn somewhere, the legal system was corrupt, and yet the job needed to be done to put food on the table. Where is the justice in these scenarios? Who wins and who looses?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Worldwide Recognition, The Dream

Martin Luther King literarily made it his life crusade to bring racism to an end. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed with the help of Hollywood elitists and a handful of open-minded politicians. It wasn’t an easy feat to achieve, but it paved the way for a better tomorrow for African-Americans who were hoping for something better out of life. This same Act served as a catalyst to massive changes the law enforcement community would go through in the upcoming years.

At age 35, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior, was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. You would think that was the zenith of his career, but it was just the beginning. He carried on his message of peace and hope until he was abruptly gunned down on April 4th, 1968. His death, as well as sacrifices made by many other peace activists, were very important in the eyes of the mistreated minorities helped over the years.

The same people who had to sit in the back of the bus, were now propelled into a new era; an era that doesn’t include such a prominent voice as King has provided them with. The corrupt and defaced criminal justice system would take many more years to get itself to the way it is now, but Martin Luther King’s big dream would start taking shape.

I feel that without the initiative of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the world we live in now might have become a much more impoverished, violent, and lawless place. Although racism is still present in the American society, Dr. King’s Dream has opened-up many minds to the possibility of equality for all.

In light of this occasion, the questions I pose to future and present law enforcement professionals are:

Would you be able to perform law enforcement duties now if you had to choose between Black or White? How have the events of the past helped you in your present understanding of the criminal justice system / your line of work?

More helpful resources with historical roots:

What Changes Would You Make to the American Judicial System?
LA Confidential – Has Policing Improved Since That Time
Crime Interest and Media Emphasis on Crime
The American Justice System is Failing?

Since I started writing blog posts about the many Criminal Justice TV Shows, I had to create a separate category for them.

This online tool will feature reality television series like Manhunters, Forensic Files, and The First 48. Additionally, you can expect many more shows which are more “Hollywood.” So far I really endorse 24, Prison Break, and a Canadian Series The Border but more shows will be added soon.

In addition to that, movies will be included. I’ll try to pick those that are most realistic and just throw away the rest. I don’t feel like wasting my time and yours.

I don’t plan on writing in-depth about the TV Shows and the Movies. The whole point of this is to present the relationships between them and the realities of the Criminal Justice system & Law Enforcement profession. You can expect the following:

• Education and career information, as it may tie in to the professions portrayed
• Psychological and moral matters facing Law Enforcement today based on footage
• My personal opinions

Enjoy!

As you may already know Jack Bauer is back in the hit TV series “24.” FOX opened the seventh season with a new cast, but some of the old favorites are still playing key roles.

Jack takes on a new terrorist threat on U.S. soil, but his efforts are blocked by near impossible working conditions. Bauer’s training, smarts, and pure luck will hopefully save the day. Sounds familiar?

I really like 24 for its ability to draw the viewer in with a labyrinth of mini save-the-world missions within each hour that Jack Bauer confronts. The 24th hour, the super-climax of the series, is something we all can’t wait for (at least that’s the case for me).

Those of you who haven’t been hooked by the 24 bug should give the series a try. As with the other seasons of 24 you don’t have to watch the prior seasons to understand and enjoy the new one. Everything will piece itself together.

The Criminal Justice field often deals with the terrorist threats that you may be seeing through Jack Bauer’s altruistic actions.

In my opinion, the series illustrates the unseen counter-terrorism efforts U.S. and other peaceful nations have to initiate to thwart terrorist threats. But take this illustration with a grain of salt, as not all things that Hollywood throws at our TV screens is entirely true. But you knew that already, right?

I’m officially adding a new category to the blog that will focus on the many criminal justice TV shows, including this one. Look for it in “Categories.” Enjoy the show.

Since I got cable in my new apartment I have been flipping the channels and looking for some good stuff to watch. I happened to stumble upon A&E (again) and fell in love in the show Why I Ran — a perspective on individuals fleeing from the police — caught on camera.

I am no thrill seeker but the shows featuring police chases are somewhat interesting. I feel many of us are wired to see other people, especially those we don’t know, unwittingly parade themselves on the news while in a car chase or at gun point. We are also very interested how the police officers handle these high-risk situations. But more often the best part of all is the dramatic ending — a car crash or suspect apprehension.

Well, this show has all that, but what I really fell in love with was the personal account of why the individuals ran. If you are in law enforcement, or are planning to be, you should take the time to watch this show. The main reason I recommend it is that as a viewer you will be able to delve into the mental state of a fleeing suspect. The comprehension of criminal behavior can make the difference between life and death in the criminal justice field.

To be honest, I have been somewhat negative towards reality TV, but after watching shows like, Forensic Files, The First 48, Manhunters, and Why I Ran I started to warm up more to the idea that this reality thing could become quite useful to the police pros, and of course my self-interests.

I am sure there are some shows that don’t disclose all the juicy details, and there are others that are too Hollywood, but the truth is that the information you will obtain will definitely help you in your law enforcement career. Even if you never work in this profession a better understanding of the human nature and why things happen the way they do can be very useful in life.

Let me know what you think about this show. What is your stand on the criminal justice field in the realm of reality television?

If you are planning to be in law enforcement I highly recommend an A&E TV show: Manhunters. It’s about a prolific U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force doing exactly that, hunting down fugitives.

I really like the show, and even though it just started recently, it didn’t hold back on what US Marshals have to go through on a daily basis. One day you’re in your hometown and another you are thousands of miles away. An appealing concept to some, but not to me. If you are a young man or woman with little holding you back, a U.S. Marshal federal career may be something you might like.

Manhunters presents the many investigative and surveillance techniques utilized by law enforcement agencies worldwide. The insider perspective doesn’t necessarily show what many other Marshals are doing for a living. It’s more of an eagle’s eye view of an elite task force dedicated to catching criminals on the run.

Manhunters Video sneak peek

U.S. Marshals do not make the big bucks, and out of the numerous federal policing agencies, it is one that pays less in comparison to most. This is especially true when starting out.

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a U.S. Marshal a solid college education will definitely help you, but since it is a requirement to have a bachelor degree you will be in a deep pool of competition. Thus, make yourself standout in a positive manner on your application, interviews, and throughout the training.

If you would like to start at a higher pay grade you need to obtain a graduate degree. Online degree programs are becoming bountiful and I have the scoop on them. Just remember you don’t have to have a criminal justice, homeland security, or a public safety degree. There are plenty other degree options, which you can do entirely online, that can provide you with that much needed boost.

So grab some popcorn, sit back, relax and see if this Man Hunter thing is right for you. At the very least it is good entertainment. Enjoy!

If you are looking to find out more about the criminal justice field then A&E’s Crime 360 forensic criminal investigations show is a great place to start. You will be able to delve into the world of forensic science, detective work, and all around police investigations. This is not a weekly TV series like CSI or Law and Order. Crime 360 takes real cases of homicide and explores every nook and cranny in order to solve the murder.

If you go to A&E Crime 360 website you will get to see some of the videos. Also, you will get to know the detectives and the forensic teams that are investigating the crimes. Once there, you will be able to see the show schedule and interact with the website.

I really recommend this show because it has great investigative techniques and it uses tried and new methods in order to solve the crime. Crime 360 might just help you choose the right criminal justice arena for you. I feel that if you are planning on going to a criminal justice university or college online, then you should heavily consider what you would like to do for the rest of your life. Yes, a police officer position opens doors to other positions in the criminal justice system, however, if you would like to be in investigations or forensics you should start on the right path from the beginning. Trust me, if you like law enforcement and the broad criminal justice field you will definitely like this show. Just don’t get yourself addicted to it!