Criminal Justice

Many colleges and universities across the country offer criminal justice degrees in a variety of different degree options. Most colleges and universities offer students the opportunity to earn an associate's or bachelor's degree in criminal justice, and for students interested in graduate school studies, some universities also offer criminal justice degrees at the master's and doctoral degree levels. Students that pursue criminal justice degrees will learn about the law, the court systems, human behaviors, and the effects that society and relationships have on humans and the way that they behave. Criminal justice students research and study the foundations and fundamentals of criminal justice and law enforcement, public safety, the legal system, behavior of criminals, and social work, amongst a wide area of other important concepts and topics associated with criminal justice. As the need for laws, law enforcement, public safety, and corrections continue to grow so will the need for trained individuals working in this field.

Common Career Paths:

Police Officer

Police officers work in law enforcement to ensure that people and their properties are protected. While the specific job duties of police officers depend on their departments and the size and type of their organization, police officers generally work to uphold the law and ensure public safety in their communities. When a law has been broken or an illegal act has been committed, police officers work to apprehend individuals to either cite them or use the necessary steps to ensure justice is reached. They patrol their jurisdictions and enforce traffic laws, investigate suspicious activity, respond to calls from individuals, resolve problems and conflict within their communities, and write reports to keep records of incidents that they may need to testify at a later date in court. On any given time during their shift, police officers may need to identify, pursue, and arrest individuals that have been suspected of crimes. Police officers can be employed by local governments and Federal or state police agencies. Educational requirements will likely vary between employers, with some employers requiring their police officers to have a college degree in criminal justice or a closely related field. In addition, most police officers must take a police academy training before they are eligible to practice. The employment outlook for police officers looks to be favorable as job growth is expected to increase by 9% over the next several years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau also reported that the median annual wages of police officers was $51,410 in 2008.

Probation Officer

Probation officers work with individuals who have been convicted of crimes but are placed on probationary periods instead of being sent to prison. During this period, those offenders are to keep out of trouble and meet various requirements; and probation officers are the specialists trained to supervise and work with them and monitor their activities to ensure that they keep out of trouble and do not commit more crimes. In order to monitor these individuals, probation officers must meet with them on a regular basis in places that include the office of the probation officer, or the offender's home or place of employment. Probation officers also work with the courts on a regular basis, as they investigate the backgrounds of the accused, write presentence reports, and recommend appropriate sentences for the accused. They also may be required to testify in court with their findings and recommendations. Most probation officers work in State or local governments or both and others are employed with the Federal Government by the U.S. courts. The employment outlook for probation officers looks to be good, as the employment of probation officers is expected to grow by 19% over the next several years, which is much faster than the average occupation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau also reported that the median annual wages of probation officers was $45,910 in 2008, which was the most recent information provided.

Social Worker

Social workers help other people by improving their living conditions and other aspects of their lives. Social workers must have a strong desire to help people because they work individuals from various backgrounds that are troubled or genuinely need help. They work directly and assist individuals in coping with a wide range of problems including disabilities, diseases, unemployment, poverty, drug and substance abuse, and other personal problems. They often also work with families that have domestic conflicts and those that have endured and been affected by domestic, spousal, and child abuse. Most social workers have at least a bachelor's degree in social work, criminal justice, psychology or sociology, with additional license and certification requirements varying between states. More than half of social workers are employed in healthcare or social assistance industries and a large amount of social workers are also employed by government agencies. The employment outlook for social workers appears to be favorable as growth in the field is expected by 16%, which is faster than the average occupation. Larger job growth is expected in social workers that specialize in mental health and substance abuse and public health. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wages of social workers was $39,530 in 2008, with medical and public health social workers earning median annual salaries of $46,650 in 2008.