• Criminal Law

Criminal Law

We all love the criminal shows on TV - CSI, our own Taggart … but what about the reality of these cases?  The craziest stuff really does go on the world, and we can never have too many people working to maintain safety and control.

That’s why there are so many varied careers within law.  There is just so much work to be done!  You might want to be a high flying lawyer, or maybe forensics tickles your fancy?  (Strathclyde University in Glasgow and Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh have great courses in forensic science, worth checking!)  I’d love to be an investigator or a detective! A great place start... a Glasgow University degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice...fascinating stuff!..No shiz’il Sherlock - I’m bringing it into the 21st century!

 Or for those of you who want to be working for the public good, but still don’t want the difficult responsibility of leading a case, you may be good as a prison officer – that’s is if you’ve got the plums for it! Prison ain’t no picnic...often people who visit prisoners say ‘thank goodness I can leave!’ It takes strong willed people to work there, some people have it naturally so if that’s you...I say, put it to good use.

Otherwise, there are the quiet-life options, for example if you prefer an office based job; there is loads of that going round too! Maybe you’d like to be an admin assistant for the police, HM Customs and Excise, or in a lawyer’s office – you could even be someone’s PA.

But it has to be said, the best paid bunch is lawyers and judges.  It’s a tough life, facing moral dilemmas, making extremely important decisions on a regular basis that will affect people’s lives forever.  If you think you can handle that sort of pressure – or you might even get a kick from it! – Then studying law is something to think about.  Getting a Bachelor of Laws degree at Glasgow University is a prestigious achievement and a great starting place.

Most people either view lawyers as boring or as nasty people.  But that’s not necessarily the case, it just takes thick skin and a real grip of the law, you’ve pretty much got to know it inside out.  But just think of the benefits that would bring, no one could mess you around that’s for sure!

But as I’ve explained, there’s plenty of other options to suit you, even more than the ones I’ve briefly mentioned!  So go and have a look, because it’s a magnificently beneficial line of work to get into – just make sure whatever road you go down suits your personality.

One final point of discussion...ever feel as a young person you’re just treated with not enough respect? Well, getting successful in Criminal Law is one guaranteed way to command respect from those around you, especially if shroud your role with importance and mystery!