Takedowns and joint locks are decent? But better to attack them with strikes than takedowns or joint locks? You would be a favorite as a correctional officer, no doubt.
I see you study Karate. Does your style also teach grappling techniques? Or have you studied a grappling art that did not teach strikes?
I agree with you that strikes are important, but I was taught to first work on blocks. I was taught to use strikes or kicks once it was safe to do so, but would also look to use (even prefer to use) joint locks or a throw. Then employ a strike at the end of a technique.
Joint locks imply control. That is usually preferred in law enforcement or correction type work. Disregarding effectiveness, striking tends to look like simply fighting in the public's experience. You may have no choice, and if so, you should give it all you have. But using a control will usually take the fight out of an opponent.