Sarah Jones, Master of Science in Criminal Justice with concentrations in Criminal Behavior and Homeland Security
Current occupation: Special Operations Intelligence Analyst
What made you decide to pursue your degree as an adult?
Learning why criminals behave the way they do has always intrigued me. This degree gave me the opportunity to learn their mindset during the time that a crime is committed. This in turn would help me be able to keep my officers safe on the streets while also possibly being able to help individuals who commit criminal acts.
Why did you choose to study at Tiffin University?
Tiffin University provided an online opportunity that would work with my schedule. They also have a phenomenal Criminal Justice program that is recognized across the United States.
What has been your experience with the program so far?
My experience with Tiffin University has been absolutely incredible. I was surprised that the professors were so easy-going and personal. The technology was extremely easy to navigate as well.
How has your experience been with faculty?
The faculty at Tiffin University are phenomenal!! They understand that students have life outside of school. They are flexible with their schedule, knowing that students have full time jobs, families, and minimal extra time in their schedule.
How are you juggling work, life and going back to school? Any tips?
Juggling anything outside of a full time job is difficult, but Tiffin University makes it easy to create a schedule that includes the school work along with the life of a student with a full-time job and a family. Each class has a similar schedule which allows me to incorporate my personal life into the same calendar.
What keeps you motivated to stay in the program?
What keeps me motivated to stay in the program is the knowledge I am learning from each class. While learning about national security and the mindset of a criminal, I am able to translate that into intelligence for my local police department on a daily basis. Most, if not all criminal intelligence, starts at the local level.
What advice would you give to a prospective student who is thinking about going back to school?
DO IT!!!! It is absolutely 100% worth it!!
TU’s motto is: Without risk there is no gain. Can you tell us about a time when you took a risk and what you gained from it?
As an Intelligence Analyst, I am assigned to our local Crisis Negotiations Unit. While many of the team are law enforcement, I have the perspective of being able to see the whole picture from an outside point of view. Learning an individual’s criminal behavior and mindset can help understand where their mind is during a crisis situation. Because of my education in this field, I have been able to provide law enforcement a different angle among these incidents. Many law enforcement officials get tunnel vision during a crisis, but I have been able to take the risk of exploring the knowledge I have learned from Tiffin University and apply it to our subjects of these types of incidents. I am able to give a different perspective on scene whereas law enforcement would normally think of the individual as a criminal rather than a person.
Learn about our Master of Science in Criminal Justice Programs