Criminology Personal Statement Example 5

I have chosen to study Criminology and Criminal Justice primarily because I have long held a desire to gain a better understanding of not only the drivers behind criminal activities but also of the workings of society which lead to the criminalisation of these activities.

Looking at the way criminals can be perceived differently because of the way the media portrays them and how the status of the criminal can be judged differently according to different cultures also makes me ask the question what really does constitute a criminal activity?

In China a person will be sentenced to death for being caught with over fifty grams of heroin, however change the country to Britain and a person may take an unlimited amount of the illegal substance into the UK without fearing for his life if he should be caught.

I’m also interested in examining things from more than one perspective, from that of the criminal, the victim and their families and gaining a better understanding of the impact, if any, of social order on criminal activity.

I would like to take a look internally at the way various prisons work and what they are currently doing to try and rehabilitate prisoners.

Studying the contrast in the way they operate at present in comparison to previous years and the reasons why changes have been brought in would also give an insight into the behaviour of the offenders whilst in incarceration and how that affects the likelihood of them reoffending.

I would like to examine how various levels of crime are dealt with by the law and what are the defining factors when choosing which sentences are appropriate.

My interests include a variety of physical activities including, golf, go-karting, ice skating, and various fitness classes. Maintaining a high level of fitness is important to me because I intend to apply to join the Police force following graduation, and hopefully to take part in the high potential development scheme.

I think having a gap in education and working full time has benefited me greatly. Employment has allowed me to meet new and interesting people and has given me a sense of responsibility and an insight into society. Working for the Civil Service has particularly helped set me up for further education as we work in a very structured environment trying to attain strict targets.

This requires a level of self discipline which I believe lies in parallel to what would be expected of me in University. I speak to customers from all walks of life with different backgrounds and abilities assisting them to resolve their issues. This demonstrates that I can adapt myself and my working role to suit the needs of others.

I am subject to constant assessment when working both in a team and individually and have demonstrated that I can maintain a consistently high performance whilst taking on board frequent changes to my working environment.

I am currently undertaking a welsh language course both for personal development and in preparation for my application to join the North Wales Police force. I find that it benefits me socially and gives me a better understanding of the area that I live in.

Whilst in my senior year at school I was not only a prefect but also held the roles of Vice Captain and Sports Captain of the school.

This involved various different roles such as mentoring younger pupils, organising various social events and representing the school at various events. I was also given the opportunity to assist in classes that I performed particularly well in, I found this extremely rewarding.

I also coached the under fifteen’s hockey team as an extracurricular activity. I was a keen member of my local junior golf team and took part in exchanges with international clubs based in America and Sweden. I would be keen to take up the opportunity to join many of the organisations at Bangor University, both sporting and social, as I believe I could be an asset to these.