Criminology SOP help!
I'm applying to a few schools for my PhD (now that the MA is nearly done). The degrees are essentially Criminology/Criminal Justice, but with an added focus on the public policy/society. I'm over 670 words and need to edit down to 500 words (I've redacted the names of places I work and school, but tried to keep the number of words the same). I've also underlines a place where I don't really like the word choice. Fresh eyes would seriously help.
The vast array of complexities surrounding the constant polaric attraction between criminal behavior and the justice system hypnotizes me. My passion for understanding behavior and analyzing possible proactive policies has been apparent since my early adolescence: as a child I would sneak out of bed to watch reruns of Profiler, wondering why the antagonist committed the crime and analyzing what society or the police could have done to prevent it. I still often wonder if we, as a society, and the criminal, as an individual, require each other in order to function adequately--that polaric attraction again. I also question if we are functioning at optimal potential and where the future could take us. The possible interpretations for criminal behavior seem infinite and because criminals are evolving so quickly, the growing need for introspection of old and implementation of new policies to adapt to an ever changing battlefield excites me.
The path upon which I embarked since leaving secondary education in Southern California, receiving my BA in Psychology and minor in Justice in Alaska, and now obtaining my Master degree in the DC area has been an enriching one. My years in early adult years have lead to profound reflections upon all aspects of my life. Overcoming my own personal traumas in the past decade, including witnessing a homicide, has enabled me to evolve into a stronger individual. Further, overcoming my own personal traumas in the past decade, including witnessing a homicide, has enabled me to evolve into a stronger individual, with a desire to strengthen our criminal justice system and to excel in everything I do. This determination and desire to learn has supplied me with many skills including an understanding of common issues within the psycho-legal community and a heavy foundation in statistical analysis.
I currently study full-time, have a fellowship at the US Name Name Name (NNN), intern at NAME Name, and do Post-Trial Interviews for the Name Name Name. I feel that staying busy, immersed within the research world, gives me the experience of learning from a vast array of people with diverse background and experience. At NNN, I compile, coordinating peer review, assist in editing, and oversee overall quality control of the yearly summaries and final reports for the basic research (psychology) contract. I have also recently worked on reformatting annual publication of contractor summaries for publication to ensure ease of use for application of the research into policy. Though out my academic career, I have created a solid research foundation through teaching statistics and working on numerous research projects as principal or sole investigator, including a presentation of a two-year research study on personality perceptions at the Western Psychological Association and research with the Anchorage Community Survey on police perceptions. Finally, whilst interning at NAME I am aiding in conducting policy-relevant research on public safety and justice issues and have been tasked with writing journal articles, including an analysis discussing current practices in cold case investigations and examining policies and procedures correlated with successful cold case investigations. Prior to the internship, I was also a Graduate Assistant, analyzing and reporting on university-wide surveys and assisting faculty with department-specific research.
It is this journey through life that has lead me to decide to take the next step and seek a doctorate in Word, Word, and Word at School Name Here. I feel that my greatest trait is my ability to look at a situation and weigh all aspects unbiased and I feel that School Name Here is the best choice for me. I believe I will offer the program high quality research work and a determination not matched by other applicants. Further, I feel that my diverse background in psychology and justice and intimate experience with the criminal justice system as both a researcher and player will offer new insight and perspectives on emerging topics within the field of criminology. Finally, I feel that the rigorous course work and academic standards at School Name Here will offer the constant academic stimulation and demanding environment that I crave and thrive in.
The vast array of complexities surrounding the constant polaric attraction between criminal behavior and the justice system hypnotizes me. My passion for understanding behavior and analyzing possible proactive policies has been apparent since my early adolescence: as a child I would sneak out of bed to watch reruns of Profiler, wondering why the antagonist committed the crime and analyzing what society or the police could have done to prevent it. I still often wonder if we, as a society, and the criminal, as an individual, require each other in order to function adequately--that polaric attraction again. I also question if we are functioning at optimal potential and where the future could take us. The possible interpretations for criminal behavior seem infinite and because criminals are evolving so quickly, the growing need for introspection of old and implementation of new policies to adapt to an ever changing battlefield excites me.
The path upon which I embarked since leaving secondary education in Southern California, receiving my BA in Psychology and minor in Justice in Alaska, and now obtaining my Master degree in the DC area has been an enriching one. My years in early adult years have lead to profound reflections upon all aspects of my life. Overcoming my own personal traumas in the past decade, including witnessing a homicide, has enabled me to evolve into a stronger individual. Further, overcoming my own personal traumas in the past decade, including witnessing a homicide, has enabled me to evolve into a stronger individual, with a desire to strengthen our criminal justice system and to excel in everything I do. This determination and desire to learn has supplied me with many skills including an understanding of common issues within the psycho-legal community and a heavy foundation in statistical analysis.
I currently study full-time, have a fellowship at the US Name Name Name (NNN), intern at NAME Name, and do Post-Trial Interviews for the Name Name Name. I feel that staying busy, immersed within the research world, gives me the experience of learning from a vast array of people with diverse background and experience. At NNN, I compile, coordinating peer review, assist in editing, and oversee overall quality control of the yearly summaries and final reports for the basic research (psychology) contract. I have also recently worked on reformatting annual publication of contractor summaries for publication to ensure ease of use for application of the research into policy. Though out my academic career, I have created a solid research foundation through teaching statistics and working on numerous research projects as principal or sole investigator, including a presentation of a two-year research study on personality perceptions at the Western Psychological Association and research with the Anchorage Community Survey on police perceptions. Finally, whilst interning at NAME I am aiding in conducting policy-relevant research on public safety and justice issues and have been tasked with writing journal articles, including an analysis discussing current practices in cold case investigations and examining policies and procedures correlated with successful cold case investigations. Prior to the internship, I was also a Graduate Assistant, analyzing and reporting on university-wide surveys and assisting faculty with department-specific research.
It is this journey through life that has lead me to decide to take the next step and seek a doctorate in Word, Word, and Word at School Name Here. I feel that my greatest trait is my ability to look at a situation and weigh all aspects unbiased and I feel that School Name Here is the best choice for me. I believe I will offer the program high quality research work and a determination not matched by other applicants. Further, I feel that my diverse background in psychology and justice and intimate experience with the criminal justice system as both a researcher and player will offer new insight and perspectives on emerging topics within the field of criminology. Finally, I feel that the rigorous course work and academic standards at School Name Here will offer the constant academic stimulation and demanding environment that I crave and thrive in.