Criminal Justice Program Shoreline Community College
Criminal Justice Career Suitability Index
The following list of questions has been formulated to help prospective Criminal Justice Program students realistically assess the practicality of a career in the criminal justice or public safety field. If you answer “false” to one or more of these questions, you should consult with a criminal justice program faculty advisor and/or family member(s), trusted friend(s), other career counselor or attorney before investing significant time and money in preparing for this career field. Depending on your answers and/or the seriousness of your involvement or participation in any of the following areas, your opportunities for employment in this field may be seriously restricted or eliminated altogether. Tolerance of the following kind of history has varying levels of acceptance among criminal justice agencies.
1. True or False: I have never committed an undetected felony offense
2. True or False: I have never been convicted of a felony offense
3. True or False: I have never been convicted of a Domestic Violence crime nor been a respondent to a permanent domestic violence related court order
4. True or False: I have never sold or manufactured illegal drugs or narcotics or transported them for sale
5. True or False: I have never been convicted of DUI (driving under the influence) for either drugs or alcohol
6. True or False: I have never used any illegal drugs
7. True or False: I have not used any illegal drugs in the past three years
8. True or False: I am not now, nor have I ever been, addicted to any drugs or alcohol
9. True or False: I am willing to submit to a lengthy background investigation (including a polygraph examination) by any law enforcement agency or correctional institution
10. True or False: I am not prevented by moral, ethical, religious or other personal reasons from carrying a firearm in the course of my day-to-day duties, nor am I opposed to using reasonable and necessary lawful force, including deadly force, to defend my life or that of a third party in the official performance of my duties as a law enforcement or correctional officer
11. True or False: I do not have a lengthy or serious juvenile court record
12. True or False: I have never been convicted of a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor
13. True or False: I do not have a lengthy record of serious traffic offenses
14. True or False: I am willing to accept a reasonable amount of personal risk as part of my day-to-day duties as a law enforcement or correctional officer
15. True or False: I am willing to conduct my personal and public affairs in accordance with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Code of Ethics
16. True or False: I am willing to follow and comply with the lawful orders and directions of police or correctional officers who are superior to me in rank
17. True or False: I am willing to place my own personal safety in harm’s way when appropriate in order to render aid or assistance to complete strangers
18. True or False: I am in good physical condition and have no significant physical limitations
19. True or False: I am not now, nor have I ever been, engaged in deliberate or purposeful employee theft
20. True or False: I am prepared to swear or affirm that I will never use my public office for personal, professional, or monetary gain in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington and the rules, regulations and policies and procedures of any agency or institution that may employ me
21. True or False: I am not now, nor have I ever been, knowingly involved in any illegal enterprise or activity for profit or personal gain
22. True or False: I have never been diagnosed nor treated by a physician, psychologist or psychiatrist for a serious mental or emotional deficiency, disturbance, disease or illness.
NOTE: Agencies will also be examining your credit history. Past problems will not necessarily disqualify you, but your efforts at improving your situation will be taken into consideration. Accepting responsibility for your debts is reflective of maturity and judgment. Excessive indebtedness could possibly increase risk of graft and corruption.
NOTES: ______
Updated 5/22/07