Criminology Testimonials

I entered the Douglas College BAACRIM program not knowing what I wanted to do as a career. I was always interested in corrections; it seemed to be my first choice when I started criminology. I graduated in the Summer of 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Criminology and a concentration in Crime Analysis and Prevention.

My first practicum placement was with the Elizabeth Fry Society- which unfortunately did not follow through. I got a call from the Practicum Coordinator, and he suggested a position at the Burnaby Youth Custody Services Centre (BYCSC). At that point, if I am being honest, I just agreed to get my practicum underway. I was already behind on hours. I looked at the practicum as a checklist to complete, not knowing how much I would benefit from it.

I did my practicum at the BYCSC working directly with incarcerated youth. I played sports with them and tutored them in several school subjects and joined some of their programs offered. I created a great rapport with several youths and the staff. I gained skills of confidence in being in a new unpredictable environment, communication, and boundary setting.

This practicum is the reason why I confirmed my career choice to work as a correctional officer at the BYCSC. If it weren’t for the change in placement, I would not have gained the experience, knowledge and chosen my career. I always say that this experience was the definition of “everything happens for a reason”. I am pleased to say I just got my offer email and signed the acceptance papers. I will be starting training in September to be a Youth Correctional Officer.

I have wanted to be a police officer since I was a kid. I was hoping that my Criminology degree practicum would give me experience in the field, show me what I need to work on, and help me decide which career is right for me. My time at Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) Compliance and Enforcement did all those things.

The agency works closely with the Delta Police Department to enforce laws and make sure all residents of TFN are safe. The staff in the agency are very laid-back, which makes learning easy and enjoyable. Tasks as a practicum student include going for patrols in the community, writing tickets, and conducting speed enforcements with police officers. There are plenty of unique situations that happen on the job. My favourite was finding a lost dog on the dyke and getting to watch it in the office until its owner was found.

My time at TFN was enjoyable and opened many doors for my career. This practicum placement would be beneficial for people of all career paths, but it is especially helpful for a career in policing.

I have just graduated from the Criminology BA program, with a concentration in Legal Studies. My career goal is to be a Crown prosecutor, though I am also interested in teaching and politics. For my practicum, I was placed with RTG Law Corp which is a criminal defense firm based in Vancouver.

I worked in a hybrid method, with some of my work being done online from home and other days having to go downtown to the office or be present in the courtroom. My duties included lots of observing and note taking with their senior lawyers, such as participating in client intake calls and trial strategy meetings. I also had some opportunities to go to court and watch our cases play out. Additionally, I did some legal research assignments mostly related to topics or laws present in our current cases. I also worked on some more administrative office tasks, such as creating letter templates, printing documents, organizing trial binders, and sending emails.

Though I found this experience to be challenging at times, it was quite rewarding to get to apply the knowledge I have learned from my degree to real life situations. This experience gave me some insight into the legal world and the realities of the day-to-day as a lawyer…turns out not everything is like the movies! My next step is to get my Masters degree, but ultimately my end goal is still to become a Crown Prosecutor.

I began my undergraduate degree at Douglas College in hopes that criminology would lead me to an exciting and dynamic career. After learning about some of the major issues that exist within our criminal justice system through my coursework, my goal in completing my degree has become to help individuals heal and cultivate a sense of liberation following their involvement with the criminal justice system. At the end of my degree, I had no particular position in mind, but a set of guiding values - things like compassion, dignity, and a growth orientation - that I hoped I would be able to apply in my practicum.

For my practicum I spent time in the role of resident worker with Connective Guy Richmond Place, a halfway house for high-risk offenders on federal parole. Resident workers are responsible for supervision and ensuring residents are abiding by the conditions of their release, including performing check-ins and writing case notes, while supporting residents by helping them find stability post-incarceration. I had the opportunity to witness individuals at different stages of their reintegration journey, from their first day in the house to their discharge on the last day of their sentence. My practicum experience opened my eyes to the challenges of reintegration, the huge responsibilities of criminal justice agents, and the possibilities to incorporate your values to any position in any workplace environment.