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Criminal Justice Careers

Criminal justice careers have more prospects than nearly any field in the nation simply because there are so many different areas to choose from. When many people think about criminal justice they often picture either a police officer or Judge sitting on the bench. While these two jobs are often the most publically visible careers in the criminal justice they represent only a small portion of the available jobs in the field. Here are just a few of the possibilities:

Careers In Criminal Justice

• Police Officers include city police, county sheriffs, private detectives and security personal, State Highway Patrol officers, Canine officers, Harbor police, Constable, Park Ranger, Animal Cruelty Investigator, Detectives, and Community Liaison Officers.
• Federal law enforcement jobs include FBI, DEA and BATF Agents, United States Marshalls Service, Transportation Security Officer (TSA), ICE and Border Patrol Agents, Immigration Officer, Diplomatic Security Special Agent, U.S Postal Service Inspector, U.S. Capitol Police and more.
• Local jurisdictions, City, County and State, as well as the federal government have many jobs available in the Corrections field. These jobs include corrections officers at all levels, parole and probation officers for adults and juveniles, Victim/Witness Assistant, Counselors, Interviewers and more.
• All levels of law enforcement also have more specialized fields in scientific investigation such as Crime Scene Investigator (CSI), Latent Print Examiner, and careers in forensics like forensic accountants, forensic anthropologists, artists, hypnotists, nurses, pathologists, psychologists, serologists and toxicologists.
• The court system also has many career paths in the criminal justice field. Many judges are appointed, from city, county and state courts, all the way to the United States Supreme Court. These judges range from juvenile to adult to family courts and probate courts. But judgeships are far from the only jobs available. Defense and prosecutors, bailiffs, Court Clerks, pretrial officers, investigators, and many more.
• Finally there are many private industry careers in criminal justice that range from Loss prevention officers and managers, bail enforcement agents (bounty hunters), insurance and fraud investigators, security officers, security officers and security analysts and Security Operations Managers.

Requirements for Criminal Justice Careers

The requirements for criminal justice careers will depend on the area that students decide to specialize in. Judges for instance have different requirements which vary according to not only the level of the court but the jurisdiction that the court is in. In some states for instance a law degree is necessary in even lower level courts but a few states do not require law degrees even in the highest levels. All attorneys, whether for the defense or prosecution, are required to possess not only a law degree but a license to practice law.

Most police are required to have at least a Bachelors degree in criminal justice and some require even more. FBI Special Agents for instance are not only required to have a BA in criminal justice but also a degree in accounting, as are IRS Agents. In many cases police who want to advance in the field utilize online education to get the certifications and degrees necessary for advancement. Careers in corrections also vary as to requirements. Federal corrections officers are required to not only have a Bachelors degree in criminal justice but must attend a 10 week course in Georgia before going into the job, but in some states prison guards are not even required to have a high school diploma. Private security officers also vary a great deal, depending on the job and the company you are working for. Some companies for instance require advanced degrees and some require at least one tour with the military and a few even require a career in military police. Forensic specialists are required to have everything from trade schools certifications to advance medical degrees and licenses.

Salary for Criminal Justice Careers

While in recent months a number of cities have had to cut some jobs for police officers because of budget concerns, the fact is that this trend cannot continue and criminal justice job trends remain constant despite these problems. The world of criminal justice changed dramatically on September 11th 2001 and society realized that we have a duty to protect all of our citizens from many different threats, not only from terrorism but to deal with the rising crime rate. The salary will vary greatly however. A low level prison guard in Texas for instance will earn about $30,000, but the same guard with a college degree will earn as much as $15,000 more and advance much more rapidly. The same guard in California however will earn as much as 50% more. Careers with the Federal government will earn much more than careers at the state level but the requirements for higher education are much more detailed.

Careers in criminal justice can not only be very lucrative but they are very fulfilling as well simply because you are committing your life and career to the protection of society as we move forward in a dangerous world during the 21st century.