Careers in Criminal Justice
What do criminal justice graduates do? Besides the excitement of being a police detective in a crime-ridden metropolitan area, there is a wide range of careers available, depending on the level of education attained, and your education in other subjects besides criminal justice, such as accounting, counseling, law, psychology, or social work. Your combined life experience, skills, and work history will also determine the kind of job you attain. For example, if you previously served in the military, you will often get veteran’s preference in government employment, which could lead to positions in federal law enforcement agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Other factors for getting a job with your criminal justice degree include:
- Certification in certain computer software or computer systems
- Foreign language skills (Amharic, Chinese, and Spanish are growing in demand)
- Willingness to relocate to another area of the country
Many jobs for criminal justice graduates can be found in the government sector, whether at the local, county, state, or federal level. The outlook for law enforcement positions is generally strong. For example, employment of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists will increase by 19% in the next ten years, according to the US Department of Labor. Keep in mind, however, that funding, not need, can oftentimes be the deciding factor in the hiring and retention of law and law enforcement personnel. Thus it may be necessary to relocate to another state or city where the government is more fiscally sound.
Here are some examples of careers for people with degrees in criminal justice. Many require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, but some do require additional education, such as a JD, MSW, or PhD. There are, however, employers who will hire a competitive candidate and provide relevant, on-the-job training. For example, postal inspectors attend Basic Inspector Training upon becoming qualified hires.
If you are interested in a particular occupation, speak with a career counselor in your degree program, or if possible, a recruiter or someone who is employed in your occupation of interest. Here are just some of the types of jobs that criminal justice majors do:
- Attorney
- Bailiff
- Court clerk or court reporter
- Forensic psychologist
- Federal special agent for the ATF, DEA, FBI, or ICE
- Highway patrol officer
- Legal researcher
- Paralegal
- Parole officer or probation officer
- Police officer
- Postal Inspector
- Private detective or private investigator
- Probation officer
- Security guard or security firm manager
- Social worker
- Tax examiner