Aleesha Jahur ’21 turned her passion for criminal justice into a career and hopes to one day become an intelligence analyst.
For Aleesha Jahur ’21, it was a simple class in criminal justice that ignited her passion for the field – and led to a full-time role with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Jahur, who graduated this past summer with her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a certificate in crime analysis and crime mapping, recently began her new job as an investigative transcriptionist for OCSO.
It’s not the only new adventure she’s embarking on, either. Jahur also is a graduate student in the College of Community Innovation and Education working on a dual master’s degree in criminal justice and public administration.
Her interest in criminal justice was piqued when she was a student at Valencia College after hearing about her professor’s career as a crime analyst.
“She was explaining her job and her role, and I thought it was really interesting because I knew I wanted to do something for the community, but not necessarily become a sworn officer and be out in the field,” Jahur says. “I didn't know there were opportunities like this to work behind the scenes.”
As an undergraduate student, Jahur participated in a job-shadow program that allowed her to sit with a crime analyst and learn about the role. She then completed an internship through UCF with the sheriff’s office, where she served as a crime-analysis intern for nearly two years. That internship ultimately is what led to the opportunity to come on board as a full-time investigative transcriptionist.
I'm very proud to work here because I see the diversity and the connections, and it's very uplifting and motivating."
Aleesha Jahur
As an undergraduate student, Jahur participated in a job-shadow program that allowed her to sit with a crime analyst and learn about the role. She then completed an internship through UCF with the sheriff’s office, where she served as a crime-analysis intern for nearly two years. That internship ultimately is what led to the opportunity to come on board as a full-time investigative transcriptionist.
“I listen to interviews involving victims, witnesses and suspects, and I transcribe them through the software that we use,” Jahur says. “I also connect with detectives, and we email and communicate so I can give them the most accurate reports. I still help with the crime analyst responsibilities that I used to do when I was an intern, as well, because it's all part of the same unit here. I'm very proud to work here because I see the diversity and the connections, and it's very uplifting and motivating.”
Ultimately, Jahur’s goal is to become an intelligence analyst, a role in which she would help break down information into key components and contribute to plans of action that could help mitigate and neutralize threats. Even further down the road, she hopes to become a professor at UCF to give back by passing on her knowledge and experiences to incoming criminal justice students.
“I feel like that I'm creating change within my community, even though it's a behind-the-scenes role,” she says. “I know the work that I do can be seen in the chain of command and therefore in the community. I also want to help further diversify and see more women of color in law enforcement. I just want to do my part.”