An NMSU Criminal Justice Professor Shares Her Real-World Perspective

NMSU’s criminal justice degree programs are taught by professionals with real-world experience. If you’re considering a career in law enforcement or a related field, start by learning from those who have worked in the trenches.

For an insider’s perspective on “CJ” careers, the NMSU Global Campus Blog spoke with Marija Dimitrijevic, an instructor and program coordinator for our online Bachelor of Criminal Justice and Master of Criminal Justice programs.

She shared about her professional background in law enforcement and offered insight into NMSU’s Department of Criminal Justice, especially what sets the BCJ and MCJ at NMSU Global Campus apart.

As Marija explains, “To study criminal justice, you have to be empathetic and have an open mind, to be open to change since criminal justice is a constantly evolving field.”

Why Study Criminal Justice?

Marija earned her master’s from New Mexico State University in 2006. Before that, she completed her undergraduate studies and worked as a criminal investigator in Serbia, where she was born.

Marija chose criminal justice because she wanted a career that makes a meaningful impact. “I wanted work that protects people, supports communities, and helps make systems fairer and more effective,” she says. “Early on, I was fascinated by the ‘why’ behind behavior and decision-making. I kept coming back to big questions like what really keeps communities safe, how do we respond to harm, and what actually works in prevention and reform.”

Criminal justice, Marija explains, sits at the intersection of law, psychology, ethics, and public policy. “You can see the real-life impact of those decisions every day,” she points out. “I loved that it’s a field where you can problem-solve, serve others, and still keep learning and improving how the system works.”

Marija’s Criminal Justice Career Began During a Turbulent Period

Marija began her career in a forensic department around 1999, working in the field on a wide range of crimes for over a year.

Her early work took place during a period of significant geopolitical upheaval. During the 1990s, as Marjia attended university and trained at the police academy, the Yugoslav Wars raged across the Balkans. In the aftermath of these conflicts, human trafficking increased significantly in the region. ^{1, 2}

At the time, there was a limited understanding of this category of crime within her unit. “We didn’t truly understand the difference between human smuggling and human trafficking,” she recalls. “We didn’t have much staff familiar with these types of crimes.”

Marija’s work focused in part on identifying where victims were coming from. “We started getting many victims, specifically women, coming from unknown countries,” she says. “We found out that they were coming from Bosnia-Herzegovina and North Macedonia. They passed through Belgrade and stayed for a certain time. We discovered that Belgrade was a place where they break victims, drug them, beat them, and make them compliant with the rules before they send them further to Italy and other countries.”

She also volunteered to assist women who had been rescued from trafficking. Given the severity of the crimes involved, her work was demanding and emotionally taxing. “It was very stressful and personal,” she shares. “We established the rules, the practice, and educated those in law enforcement about human trafficking. It really took a lot of emotional energy.”

As difficult as this time was, Marija acknowledges that these experiences shaped the next stage of her career.

How She Came to Work in New Mexico Criminal Justice

Marija has lived in New Mexico for 20 years and has been teaching at New Mexico State University for 19. She was drawn to the region by her professional interest in human trafficking and smuggling in nearby Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, where she saw parallels to her earlier work in Serbia.

After graduating from NMSU, Marija and her colleagues formed a human trafficking task force, traveling throughout New Mexico and the El Paso area to educate border patrol agents on the differences between human trafficking and smuggling.

While the work felt familiar, it was her connection to the NMSU community that led her to stay. “I found people from New Mexico State University to be the most generous, the most helpful, amazing professionals,” she says. “The dedication in the criminal justice department is the reason I’m still here, and I believe I’m going to stay 50 more years.”

Why the Criminal Justice Programs at NMSU Global Campus are Special

Marija highlights several features at NMSU Global Campus that support student success:

• 100% Online: Students can earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in criminal justice from anywhere in the world.
• Paid Internships: Opportunities are available to help students gain real-world experience.
• Tuition Discount for Active Law Enforcement: Eligible students may qualify for a discounted rate of $250 per credit hour.
• Virtual Reality Lessons: Students can gain an immersive experience through VR-based simulations.
• Your own personal Graduation Team: Every NMSU Global Campus student gets an Academic Advisor, a Career Services Coordinator, a Financial Aid Advisor, and a Student Success Mentor. Your Graduation Team will walk with you to graduation and provide career mentorship for what comes next.

NMSU Global Campus students may also gain practical experience while completing their criminal justice degree programs. Through partnerships with police departments in the Southwest region, some students can attend a police academy and apply that training toward their degree program credit requirements.

“We partnered with the Tulsa Police Department,” Marija explains. “Every undergraduate student, and some graduate students, can have their last 15 credits covered if they complete their training.” Similar partnerships exist with agencies in New Mexico, including the Las Cruces Police Department and the New Mexico State Police.

The Versatility of Earning a Criminal Justice Degree

Criminal justice is not a static field, and it extends far beyond traditional law enforcement roles.

“Criminal justice careers are very broad,” Marija says. “There are careers in courts, corrections, probation, parole, victim services, policy, nonprofit work, investigation, cybersecurity, private security, and emergency management.”

She points to distinguished NMSU alumni who have pursued diverse paths, including David Bowdich, a criminal justice graduate who served as Deputy Director of the FBI and now works as Disney’s Chief Security Officer.

From local government roles to academic careers and leadership positions in law enforcement, graduates of NMSU’s Criminal Justice program have built careers across a wide range of fields. That’s why Marija adamantly believes the Criminal Justice department at NMSU can help students lay a strong foundation for future professional success.

Take the Initiative and Engage with Criminal Justice Professionals

Marija encourages New Mexico State University students to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them on campus and online.

“Attend workshops, speak with professors, do internships, and get to know the field before you graduate,” she encourages learners. “If I can help and guide students every day, that makes my day. They’re so special.”

For those considering a career in a dynamic and evolving field, exploring the online criminal justice programs at NMSU Global Campus is your first step.

References

1. “Human Trafficking and the Balkans.” University of Pittsburgh Press. 2007.

2. Nikolic-Ristanovic, V. “Sex Trafficking: The Impact of War, Militarism and Globalization in Eastern Europe.” MPublishing, University of Michigan Library, 2003.