Surfing The Channel

Archive for April, 2011

Inspired by television, books and movies that highlight different aspects of forensic sciences, more and more students are getting degrees in subjects like computer forensics, forensic pathology, and forensic anthropology. Those that choose to study forensic psychology may be drawn to the field by thoughts of becoming a criminal profiler or working in law enforcement , but there are actually a number of other careers available to them.

Many forensic psychologists do work with law enforcement. They may serve as profilers and analysts to aid in the capture and prosecution of criminals. They are also called upon to evaluate officers and support staff. Other individuals are employed as consultants to judges and courts. These psychologists will serve as expert witnesses in court and conduct court ordered evaluations of people involved in domestic cases and civil litigation as well as criminal cases. Again, they may also evaluate employees of the court, such as bailiffs, court reporters, and even judges and lawyers.

The prison and parole system also offers a number positions for forensic psychologists. They counsel and evaluate both parolees and prisoners, assess personnel, and even run rehabilitation programs. Outside the system, they may counsel crime victims or run programs to serve at risk populations.

A number of these psychologists enter school knowing that they want to pursue forensics. Others come to the field after working for years in law enforcement or other parts of the criminal justice system. They begin taking forensic psychology courses after encountering a need for those skills in their work.

If you think of the Grand Canyon as something to gaze down upon, you may imagine that a trip there would just involved driving to the South Rim, taking in the view, and driving on to another destination. However, it is possible to spend days or even a week at the Canyon and explores something different every day. This is one of the reasons that so many people make return trips to the Canyon and Arizona residents take regular day trips there.

In most cases it’s probably best to arrive at the Canyon in the evening and check into one of the nearby Grand Canyon hotels so that you can start your day’s explorations early. You may choose to explore the Park’s natural attractions or to spend a day visiting the man-made and historical sites. The latter include things like the historic buildings of the Grand Canyon Village and the Grand Canyon Railway Depot.

The Canyon itself can be explored in parts. A single day offers the opportunity to hike down to the base of the Canyon and return again to the top. Mule tours are also available for those who aren’t up to the hike. Alternative options include hiking along either of the rims, rafting along the Colorado, or taking a helicopter or airplane tour of the area, which can include flying over nearby sights like the Hoover Dam or the Las Vegas Strip.

With careful planning, and maybe a picnic lunch, the Grand Canyon can be a wonderful day trip or can be experienced as a series of day trips that add up to a longer vacation.