Criminology Personal Statement Example 15

The study of criminology appeals to me as it allows opportunities to gain a deeper insight into the origins and societal factors affecting why a person would execute a crime. One area in particular that fascinates me is the motives of a person, and what pursues someone to commit a crime. What drives a human being to kill? The nature vs. nurture debate of why people commit crime sparks my interest, is it the internal workings of a person that provokes them to perpetrate an act of crime or the circumstances of which they were raised and live within? This interest has been carried forward into a fascination with true crime books such as 'Ted Bundy:

Conversations with a Killer' by Stephen G. Michaud & Hugh Aynesworth and 'Talking with Serial Killers' by Christopher Berry-Dee which both look deeper into individuals and the reasons that caused them to kill. Many themes within criminology can be related to my psychology A-Level course and can be transferred into my higher studies. Topics such as Social Influence can explain why crime is committed due to the pressure of others as well as psychopathology which relates to the inner workings of a person and the psychological aspect to it.

One case that gripped my attention was the case of Ted Bundy, a man that charmed his way into the hearts of women to later murder them in cold blood and the way he was proved to be the serial killer he is. Specifically, how interviews from the third person revealed his true psychopathic self along with the forensics, such as the bite marks and the credibility surrounding the evidence, that were used to convict him of murder in the first degree. Many questions surround this case for me. Was it his uneasy childhood? A significant event that occurred in his life? Or was he born evil? A question that highlights everything about crime and the understanding of crime itself. Through both academic and voluntary experiences I have acquired many transferable skills that can be applied to higher education.

I have gained organisation and time management skills from a wide range of areas such as coursework in both history and geography as well as that of researching topics in great detail and making valid judgements of interpretations. These subjects have also allowed for an increase in confidence for critical analysis and thinking skills which has helped with the development of essay writing for both present and future use. Team work and communication have also been picked up through my involvement in volunteering opportunities in open evenings and a party for the students from a special educational needs school. With all factors considered I think I am suitable to study criminology because of my extensive interests that have spilled over into both my academic and personal time as well as the skills gained through my subjects and time at sixth form.