University of Cincinnati Student Profile: Making the Grade in Criminal Justice

Anthony Easter, Tennessee Lodge #22, M.S. Criminal Justice September 2005

Anthony-Easter

Why did you decide to pursue a degree in criminal justice?

I currently work for the Chattanooga Police Department in Tennessee and was interested in advancing my career at the department. So, I decided to pursue the master’s degree in CJ to enhance my opportunities for lateral transfers and promotion.

Why did you choose this program?

There were two main reasons that I chose the program at UC. First of all, it was very flexible and accommodating for working adults. The program is designed to work around schedules like a police officer maintains. Secondly, the CJ programs at UC are well renowned. They are always ranked highly in the nation among CJ programs as well as their cutting-edge research for all facets of criminal justice.

Of the courses you took, what were some of your favorites and why?

I really enjoyed the White Collar Crime and Nature of Crime courses the most. I have always had a personal interest in “organized” crime, so that was the intrigue behind [White Collar Crime]. [The Nature of Crime] was something I was not familiar with but became grossly inquisitive about as the course unfolded. It described crime and crime rates as living, breathing things that could be measured, studied and analyzed, almost as if crime had a mind and will of its own. It was quite philosophical and I enjoyed it tremendously.

What was your favorite aspect of the program?

Personally, I gained from the statistics courses because they prepared me so well for the next level. In fact, I continued with my education and graduated with the Doctor of Education degree (from another institution) after completing the CJ program at UC…. Statistics is a huge part of finishing a dissertation and conducting original research to meet the stipulations for a doctorate degree.

Leave a Reply