Jobs You Can Do With A Criminal Justice Degree

Building a career is no easy task. The fact is that adult life isn’t easy, and choosing a career path is never straightforward or easy, but with the right knowledge and research you can build a successful career in any industry that you choose. The question is, once you’ve found your perfect industry, how do you choose which route to go down?

Bearing that in mind, below are a selection of career paths that are a perfect fit for anyone with a passion for criminal justice.

Probation officer

A probation officer has the role of making sure anyone that has been released on probation, adheres to their parole terms and does not break the law again. A probation officer will also aid the parolee in fitting back into society after leaving prison and making sure they adjust as best as possible to live on the outside. Probation officers are usually given a pile of parolee’s to work with and will meet with them at the office, their home and place of work to help them get through their lives. If you enjoy helping people and making sure people can have the best life possible and not re-offend then becoming a parole officer would be great for you. If you feel that you do not have the degree to do this but are set on it then there are criminal justice associates degree online that will allow you to get the degree you want to do this job.

Forensic science technician

If you are looking to get into the forensic science field then you can start studying and training for this as early as high school, but you need to make sure you are studying well in maths and science. If you have a forensic science degree then you are able to enter into the field at any point as you will have the relevant education to do so. Forensic scientists will work on building reconstructions of crime scenes based on any evidence that can be found, they will do this in labs, courtrooms, and other places to help give the police or agencies a helping hand to find the criminals. Forensic science is very specific so you tend to go for this if you have studied towards this specifically over your education. It is great for technology lovers and people who love solving puzzles to obtain the information and clues needed to apprehend suspects. Forensics can also be very technology based so having some knowledge in technology will definitely help you in this role.

Police officer

Police officers are the people on the front line for the criminal justice system, they are the feet on the ground that will respond to any calls and leads to apprehend the criminals and respond first to crime scenes to secure them from the general public. Being a police officer you will be dealing with the general public assuring their safety and taking crime off the streets. As well as the education needed to become a police officer you will go through training and selection to make sure you are right for the role and will make the cut to become a police officer. You will be trained in things such as diversity awareness, legal ethics and law enforcement,  technologies. Becoming a police officer can be a fast paced environment but will give you options to get promoted and move through the ranks of the police force.

Correctional officer

A correctional officer will work to supervise and assist anyone that has been convicted of a crime, they work mainly within the jails and prisons. Because each judicational system at local, state and federal level, correctional officers will be needed for each level. Correctional officers will receive qualification and on the job training regularly during their employ, which means you would need less pre-career training because of this, this is done to ensure the safety of the correctional officers and the inmates. Over the last few years, the role of a correctional officer has gone from guarding prisoners to one of helping with rehabilitation for prisoners by increasing their treatment programmes while they are in prison. Becoming a correctional officer is a great career path for those with previous experience, certification or degrees in social work or criminal justice.

Private detective

Being a private detective offers diversity in the work and cases you will take on. You can assist with public detectives and local police forces or choose to take on your own cases which are not necessarily crime based. A private detective can work on background checks and uncover information for things like divorce cases or compensation claims, they will also take on cases similar to the work of a public detective too. When going into this job role, making sure you have knowledge of forensics and law is crucial as it involves collecting evidence and surveillance. Due to needing this knowledge a lot of private detectives will have a criminal justice degree and will also have worked as a public detective or officer to gain experience and knowledge to do the job. Becoming a private detective is also great for setting up your own business and working for yourself, so you can set your own work hours and rates to work around your personal life if necessary. If you are working for yourself as a private detective then renting out an office space will help you have a professional look for meeting with clients so they don’t have to come to your home.

Having a career in criminal justice can be a very rewarding job especially if you enjoy helping people. In criminal justice, it isn’t just about helping the general public but also to help the inmates and offenders to make sure they can go back into society and won’t offend again. When working in the law sector knowledge can be key so make sure you gain as much knowledge and experience in your life will really help you grow and have a successful career within criminal justice.