What can I do with a degree in Administration of Justice (Criminal Justice)?
Additionally, your criminal justice faculty can be an excellent source of career information. Many faculty have practical experience in the field or are experts in certain areas and can give you advice and first hand knowledge about the criminal justice system and job opportunities. Further, you may want to speak to the professionals in your community who are already employed in the type of job in which you are interested. They can provide you with practical information and also discuss career planning options. One further option available on may campuses is the internship. Internships offer students the change to gain practical experience in a particular job and to learn more about a particular career.
Finally, many campuses have active criminal justice organizations or national honor societies that can be a valuable resource for students and provide opportunities to network with other criminal justice majors and faculty.
When you are considering different careers in criminal justice, ask yourself the following questions:
What is the nature of this work? What does an individual working in this job actually do?
Does this work sound like something I would be interested in and would want to do?
Do I have or can I develop the necessary skills/education to qualify for the job?
Are there physical requirements? Do I qualify for this career?
Law Enforcement
Numerous career opportunities are available in law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels, in addition to opportunities in the private sector. A sample of jobs available at the local and state levels would included the following:
Police Officer:
Uniformed officers who protect the lives and property of the public. prevents or deters crime, enforces laws, arrests violators, and renders assistance.
Deputy Sheriff:
Uniformed law enforcement position. Similar to police, but also has court and corrections responsibilities.
State Police Officer/Highway Patrol Officer:
Ensures public safety and patrols state and interstate highways.
At the federal level, a sample of possible jobs would include:
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Special Agent:
Investigates violations of federal laws regarding firearms or explosives and enforces laws governing the liquor and tobacco industries.
Customs Special Agent:
Investigates criminal fraud against the revenue service, major cargo thefts, and illegal importation and exportation of contraband.
Deputy U.S. Marshal:
Provides federal court security, protects federal witnesses, investigates federal fugitives, transports prisoners, and holds federal prisoners in custody.
Drug Enforcement Special Agent:
Attempts to stop the flow of illegal drugs.
Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent:
Nation's premiere law enforcement agency. Investigates violations of federal laws, including offenses such as kidnapping, bank robbery, organized crime, and civil rights violations.
Immigration and Naturalization Service, Border Patrol Agent:
Detects and prevents illegal entry of persons into the United States.
Secret Service Agent:
Investigates crimes against the currency and protects the President, the Vice President, and others.
Park Police:
Law enforcement activities in the National Parks.
Postal Police and Postal Inspector:
Law enforcement and investigations in matters dealing with U.S. Mail.
Federal Bureau of Prisons:
Correctional Officer/Correctional Counselor
Courts
Bailiff:
Uniformed law enforcement. Provides courtroom security, assists judge, and escorts prisoners and jury members.
Court Administrator:
Performs administrative and management functions within the court, such as assisting with court calendar, case flow, and personnel management.
Court Clerk:
Clerical assistant with a variety of administrative responsibilities.
Court Liaison Counselor:
Assists and counsels defendants charged with crimes. Evaluates and initiates treatment plans and makes referrals to support agencies.
Paralegal:
Performs clerical and administrative duties for lawyers, such as researching and preparing cases, and interviewing defendants and witnesses.
Child and Youth Counselor:
Assists child victims to testify, acts as a liaison between child and court personnel, and assists in victim assistance programs.
Prosecutor:
Presents the people's case in criminal prosecutions (Law degree required).
Corrections
Corrections Counselor:
Guides and counsels inmates during incarceration. Assesses and develops appropriate programs for each inmate.
Corrections Officer:
Guards, observes, and supervises inmates in a correctional facility (Federal and State Jobs).
Juvenile Justice Counselor:
Counsels juveniles assigned to the state youth division.
Parole Officer:
Guides inmates in their preparations for adjustment to community life. Investigates and takes action for parole violations.
Probation Officer:
Conducts investigations and evaluations concerning release conditions of offenders. Works to rehabilitate and supervise offenders once they are released. Counsels clients and makes referrals to community agencies.
Other Career Opportunities
Careers in Forensic Science:
Jobs such as ballistics specialist, serology specialist, fingerprint specialist, and polygraph specialist are available in this field. Frequently, these careers require additional training or degrees in the physical sciences.
Careers in Private Security:
This is a rapidly growing area in the field of criminal justice. A wide variety of organizations employ private security professionals. Within this field, there are many options, including administrative or managerial jobs and investigative, technical, or protective jobs.
Careers in Private Investigation:
Conducts investigation to get confidential information and helps solve crimes and find missing person.