Criminal
Justice Career Opportunities
Criminal Justice is one career area in which jobs will always be
available because the tasks involved are essential to our government.
Lets face it, someone is always going to be on the other side of
the law. There are many different professions in the Criminal Justice
field, so a good evaluation of the choices should be a priority.
One advantage of taking this first step is that basing your career
decision on solid information makes it more likely that you get
into a profession you will enjoy and feel comfortable working in.
Two things you should pay attention to:
• Getting
a job in some criminal justice professions can be very competitive.
• Some of these professions require an extensive college
education.
Career Options
With all that said, there are many different career options available
within the Criminal Justice profession. Some of these are: court
reporting, paralegal, corrections officer, police, detectives, probation
officer, private detectives and investigators, to name a few.
Necessary
Education
This is an area where a college degree or necessary certificate
determines where you enter the profession. A paralegal, for example,
usually earns an associate degree at a community college and also
earns a certificate. In some cases, the certificate alone is all
that is required; check out the requirements in the area where you
intend to work. Some paralegals go on to earn a bachelor’s
or master’s degree for career advancement.
To become a
police officer or detective will require at least a high school
education and may even require some courses offered by community
colleges that specialize in that field. In some areas of the country,
acceptance into these educational and training programs is highly
competitive. A lot of police work is also learned on the job. Again,
before deciding on a course of study, check out the requirements
for that job in the area of the country you want to work in.
For most jobs
with the state or local governments, a bachelor’s degree or
even a master’s degree is necessary. A bachelor’s degree
is usually required to become a probation officer or correctional
treatment specialist and courses in social work, criminal justice,
and psychology will be required. For more information, check the
Bureau
of Labor Statistics website.
What to Expect
This varies, of course, by occupation. For instance, law enforcement
duties could include patrols and responding to calls, writing reports,
and on occasion arresting criminals (some work could be dangerous).
Paralegals often help lawyers in private practice or work in corporate
legal departments. Other positions might involve working for local
governments, perhaps in the public defender’s office.
Required hours
per week and schedule worked depends on the occupation. For instance,
a full-time job with the state or local governments usually requires
40 hours a week in an office environment. Police or detective work
usually requires 40-hour workweeks and, at time, overtime is essential,
usually with overtime pay. Shift work is typical and working nights,
holidays and weekends is also common. Typically, probation officers
and correctional treatment specialists work a 40-hour week and may
be on call 24 hours a day.
Choosing
A School
There are a few things to consider when choosing a school for your
degree or certificate.
• Location.
Does a nearby school offer the courses and degree required? If
not, how far are you willing to travel to attend the school that
does?
•Online alternative. When the right school / program is not
found nearby, an alternative is to take the courses online. Many
different programs are offered from online education, everything
from an associate degree to a master’s degree.
•School accreditation and reputation. Do the research to
make sure the school is accredited and that the program meets
the standards of the kinds of companies you want to work for.
You want to be sure that someone who is reviewing your application
has a high opinion of the school.
There are many
colleges and universities that offer criminal justice programs,
check this link to see a variety of schools and courses offered.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for most sectors of the criminal justice field looks
good. The Bureau of Labor Statistics makes projections for each
occupation. They say that paralegals can expect a 22 percent growth
between 2006 and 2016 but can also expect competition as this field
grows. If your planning an occupation as a probation officer or
correctional treatment specialist the projected to growth is 11
percent between 2006 and 2016 and police and detective work about
the same.
Expected
Salary
This varies also between occupations. A paralegal, for instance,
can expect between $33,920 and $54,690 but as little as $27,450
and as high as $67,540. Those in police or detective work can expect
an average salary of $43,920 and $76,350 but the range goes all
the way from $34,480 to more than $92,590. Probation officers and
correctional treatment specialists can expect between $33,880 and
$56,280 but some in those jobs work for less than $28,000 while
others earn more than $71,160. For more detailed information, check
the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Emerging
Careers
There are other careers that in criminal justice that you can specialize
in, some of which are emerging careers related to homeland security
and computer crimes. Some other emerging careers are: counter-terrorism,
global issues in criminal justice, forensic psychology, crime analysis,
criminal behavior, and justice administration. Degree requirements
for these careers vary from state to state because standards are
still being set.
Resources:
Occupational
Outlook Handboo - Police and Detectives
Occupational
Outlook Handbook - Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment
Specialist
Occupational
Outlook Handbook - Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Occupational
Outlook Handbook - Private Detectives and Investigators
Bureau
of Labor Statistics - Criminal Justice Overvie
Inter-university
Consortium for Political and Social Research
The
American Society of Criminology
Journal
of Criminal Justiceand Popular Culture
Western Criminology
Review (WCR)
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