Find your college in a few easy steps

Newest Articles and Resources

Why you should Study Criminal Justice

Why you should Study Criminal Justice

Are you a crime show aficionado? Do you love watching crime dramas? If solving mysteries and enforcing law sounds like your kind of thing, you may thrive having a career in criminal justice. Like other students, you may also have other reasons for choosing this field. For instance, it can help you make a difference in your community. On the monetary front, you will also have a wide range of choices to choose from when it comes to an exciting career. If you still need a reason as to why you should choose criminal justice, here are some more:

A Bevy of Career Options

Think about your degree in criminal justice as a steppingstone that will lead you to different professions. Depending on whether you pursue a bachelor's, complete your master's, or go all the way to a doctorate, you could enter law enforcement, get a legal job, or be a part of the court system. Various career options, such as in corrections, as a paralegal, or judicial assistant, await you too.

Don't want to try the federal sector? Then how about the lucrative options within the private sector? Because with your degree in criminal justice, you can work security, become a social worker, be a private investigator, forensic accountant, or even go into cybercrime. Research or science-minded individuals can become prison psychologists or crime scene investigators.

With even entry-level qualifications, you may be looking at the following professions:

· Corrections officer

· Detective

· Juvenile detention officer

· Police officer

· Court clerk

· Criminal investigator

· State trooper

· Deputy sheriff

· Security guard

Were you to obtain a bachelor's degree in the field, your choice of employment can expand to include many local, federal, or state positions, like:

· Correctional administrator

· Fraud investigator

· Private investigator

· Insurance investigator

· County police officer

· Legal consultant

· Social worker

· Court counselor

· Immigration

· Criminal pathologist

· Customs

Even the courts will be open to you since you can choose to become a bailiff, court clerk, courtroom assistant, court manager, criminal law supervisor, court operations specialist, case administrator, family law mediator, and pretrial services officer.

Enjoy Retirement and Health Benefits

As an officer of the law or some other profession within the criminal justice system, you will be entitled to various health and retirement benefits. Whether you are looking at health insurance, such as when working for the federal government, assistance for tuition, training, or paid holidays, you will have a lot to look forward to. The Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program (ASLRP) will make you eligible for sick leaves and retirement after having served for only 20 years.

But an early retirement needn't be the end of your professional story. The skills you learn while studying criminal justice are highly transferable. So, why not use them to enter a second career? You could even make a lateral move within the criminal justice field or keep ascending.

Revel in Exceptional Job Stability

Today's job market is nothing if not unstable. Even having a doctorate in many other fields doesn't guarantee you employment. So, if you are looking for job stability that is unparalleled, you might want to consider stepping into the arena of criminal justice.

In terms of security and stability, jobs in the criminal justice field are a great option. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that even in this age, millions of workers continue to gain new employment due to criminal justice. Communities can always benefit from expertly trained and fair professionals in the twin areas of law enforcement and corrections.

As the ethical standards will keep on rising in this better-informed world, your job will be safe too.

Gain Uniquely Transferable Skills

As mentioned before, students of criminal justice don't just come away from their studies with a degree. They are also taught many skills that they can use in all walks of life. For instance, learning to think critically is something that would be valuable for any of your future employers. Having data and being capable of using it to synthesize information is yet another skill. Put those qualities and talents to work, and you could land a job in most fields!

Ease into the Professional World with Online Degree Programs

You may be holding down multiple jobs just to get through the month. Or, you could have other responsibilities or dependents to care for. Criminal justice education is now easily availed due to various online degree programs.

There are many advantages of enrolling for an online degree in criminal justice. Besides convenience, they also offer students a high degree of flexibility. They are accessible from anywhere, so you won't be bound to the same limitations as students of traditional programs based in a campus would be.

Finally, when evaluating criminal justice programs, go for one that at the very least has regional accreditation. Such degrees and diplomas are based around programs that follow the strict standards of their respective fields.

Featured Colleges