In today’s world, people have become far more conscientious about safety. As a result, consumers are demanding better protection, leading to higher demand for qualified law enforcement professionals. The work of different criminal justice jobs has one primary focus, keeping people and communities safe. To accomplish this, there are many different types of jobs, each with a specific focus on keeping local, national, and even international crime under control, especially on a terrorist level.
Criminal justice jobs are offered through a number of different employers to include police departments, sheriff departments, Homeland Security, Highway Patrol, the FBI, and more. Of course, each of these typically has a number of divisions in which a certain type of law enforcement is offered. For instance, police departments and sheriff departments usually maintain divisions for intelligence, narcotics, SWAT, investigation, traffic, and patrol. Within these are unique functions of criminal justice jobs.
Future of Criminal Justice
As mentioned, the demand for qualified professionals is at an all-time high with need growing. Today, there are many jurisdictions, cities, and states that actually have more criminal justice jobs than they do possible employees. In fact, according to the latest statistics, experts state that as a whole, criminal justice jobs will see an increase of approximately 11% by the end of 2016. However, other similar jobs to include private investigative and detective are expected to also increase, with predictions of 18% also by 2016.
Jobs of this kind are not only varied in responsibility but the type of employer also varies. This professional may work in the private sector, be self-employed, work for a public company, or have a government appointed position. Criminal justice jobs and all they involve are vast, which creates even better job stability but also more competitive pay than any other time in history.
Work Opportunities
With so many options for criminal justice jobs, the actual work performed would vary based on the job and employer. For example, a law enforcement professional might provide support in helping a company crack a computer fraud, theft, or embezzlement case. This type of person could also be involved in tracking down a lost individual, conducting surveillance and making drug busts, handling the more serious calls by being a member of a SWAT team, and so on.
It is important to understand that criminal justice jobs are not always those that involve covert operations or arrests. Below we provided some of the other positions that would fall within this sector to show the true diversity.
- Border Patrol
- Corrections Officer
- Court Bailiff
- Criminal Justice Attorney
- Paralegal
- Probation / Parole Officer
Educational and Training Requirements
The exact type and level of education needed would depend on the job although at minimum, a person interested in law enforcement would need a high school diploma. However, there has been a change in hiring criteria in the past few years with most agencies and departments now looking for applicants with an associate or even better, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. However, some agencies and even criminal justice jobs mandate a master’s degree or perhaps a PhD.
Anyone with interested in various criminal justice degrees would be favored when applying by having a bachelor’s degree, which would also help a person benefit from a higher salary. Additionally, most people with a higher education find moving up the ladder to different or more complex criminal justice jobs easier. As for training, this would be completed in an academy environment to include weaponry, take down moves, physical agility/stamina, state and country laws, chemical force, and the list goes on.
To secure any of the criminal justice jobs available, preparation is the key to success. As stated, a person should complete college with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and then build from there. In addition to gaining an education through a traditional college or university, there are many excellent educational institutions that provide online coursework.
Some of the top choices for education online are listed below:
- Saint Leo University – This particular school has criminal justice degrees on an associate, bachelor, and master’s level. The programs are comprehensive and flexible, but also available online.
- Everest University – This is another school with associate, bachelor, and master level degrees in criminal justice. This accredited school has a long history of graduating students who secure criminal justice jobs quickly.
- Columbia College – We would also recommend this school, also accredited and with associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees. Someone interested in criminal justice would have the opportunity to complete education specific to the type of job most interested in working.