What Can You Do With A Criminal Justice Degree ?

 An outlook on criminal justice might seem like an undemanding field. Though that’s not true at all. Therefore, What Can You Do With A Criminal Justice Degree Careers Salaries will be Revealed in this for you to check.

What Can You Do With A Criminal Justice Degree?

Most individuals feel like the field has little to offer and so many avoid studying this course at the university so they do not become stranded when seeking a job. In this article, we will be looking at the wide range of job opportunities, and salaries for those in the criminal justice field.

Criminal Justice is a highly respected field and degree, providing different fields and careers with salaries that align with your personality however is not revealed often. With a degree in criminal justice, you can fit into practically any sector whether public or private. Having a degree in criminal justice opens a wide path to trend in, with enticing salaries. It is important to first lay a foundation on what criminal justice is.

The Criminal Justice Sector:

 Criminal justice is an important sector in the delivery of justice. It works to keep the community safe by punishing offenders, preventing crimes, and rehabilitation of offenders so that they become good and better citizens. The criminal justice system is majorly composed of police, the court, and the prison which serve as correctional centers.They all work together to identify criminals, apprehend, judge them and punish them.

Reason to Study Criminal Justice:

There are various reasons why you should study criminal justice. Without law, society will be brutish and nasty. To maintain order in a society, there needs to be a law, and a body to punish offenders who refuse to abide by that law. People in society, therefore, study criminal justice to make society a better place.They help to ensure that criminals face the wrath of the law, applying justice where need be. You can also study criminal justice for the diversity in careers that gets revealed with good salaries with the degree. With a degree in criminal justice, you will be opened to various opportunities career-wise. You can work in various sectors as long as you have the necessary skills. Having a degree in criminal justice paves way for lucrative opportunities in a wide range of career paths.

Criminal Justice: A Good Field:

  Without a doubt a major in criminal justice provides significant benefits to individuals, ensuring that they are fit and ready for the community. With a field from an approved college in criminal justice, you can work on so many exciting job opportunities. You can get a job in public service, in the legal sector, in the science sector, and even in the school sector. It is therefore safe to say that criminal justice is a very good field as it not only helps you make society a better place but also gives you so many offers and opportunities.

States With Demand For Job In Criminal Justice

  Having the right state in mind that offers good-paying jobs for your role is important. Here is a rundown on states that offer good jobs in criminal justice.

1. New York: The average yearly salary of a criminal justice worker in New York is $65,000, the higher the position, the higher your salary. There are a lot of positions for people to work in the criminal justice career.

2. Ohio: The average yearly salary of a job in criminal justice in Ohio is $64,820. The state also provides a wide range of opportunities for criminal justice jobs.

3. North Carolina: The average yearly salary of workers in North Carolina is $54,490. The state is one of the highest states that offers more opportunities in criminal justice.

4. New Jersey: The average yearly salary of a worker in criminal justice in New Jersey is $84,470 yearly. This state is one of the states that pay criminal justice workers more.

5. Virginia: The average yearly salary of a worker in criminal justice in Virginia is $71,270. It is also one of the highest paying states providing enticing job offers and benefits to criminal justice workers.

High Demand for Criminal Justice

  With criminal justice, there are so many sectors you can fit in and you will be paid well depending on your skills, positions, and location.

  Criminal justice workers are highly demanded as you can choose to work as a counselor, work in science fields, work on crime scenes, or in a lab for private sectors or the federal government.

Career In Criminal Justice

  Although most organizations give ears to those who completed at least 2 years in college, many prefer 4 years. Your career in criminal justice is determined by your level of education.   With an associate degree and even a master’s degree, you can secure a slot in the criminal justice system but the pay varies. The salaries of your rank and organizations play important roles in this field. Let us take a look at careers available in the various levels of education.

Careers Available With A Masters Degree  

  When you are thinking of applying for a very high position, a master’s degree is needed and they are well paid. Obtaining a master’s degree places you in a better position to secure good and enticing opportunities. What then are some careers majorly for those with master’s degrees:

1. Supervisory officers: As a supervisory officer, you are believed to have acquired all the necessary skills for that position as you will be required to oversee teams to ensure they carry out their jobs very well.

2. Professor: To become a professor in criminal justice, you also need to have a doctorate or master’s degree. This way, you will have the knowledge which is required and also skills.

3. Federal government workers: This is not limited to a master’s degree alone but it can help you attain a higher position if you decide to work in a law enforcement agency.

4. Forensic psychologist: The forensic psychologist works to gather information on patients, and evaluate and diagnose mental illness. They explain the crime’s causation and need a master’s degree.

Careers Available With An Associate Degree

  For those who can obtain an associate degree, certain job opportunities are extended to you.

1. Paralegal: They serve as a core part of their firm. They work to support attorneys assigned to be in charge of a case. From being a paralegal, you can further your education to become a judge or an attorney. They are in high demand.

2. Police officers: The work of the police officer is mainly to protect the lives of citizens, ensure the community and the state is safe, and make arrests of suspects. With an associate degree, you can become a police officer.

3. Private investigators: They work to investigate legal or criminal cases by making research, monitoring, and even conducting interviews with suspects.

4. Crime prevention specialists: They work to create strategies to help prevent crime in a local community. They keep the neighbor in that community safe by proffering reliable security for them.

5. Jail screener: They work in jails and prisons. They work to provide an analysis of inmate behavior. With this analysis, the inmates may be released back into society or not depending on the report by the jail screener.

Careers Available With A Bachelor Degree

  A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice is offered in most universities or colleges and most schools run it for four years. Bachelor’s degree is important even as you proceed with your education. What then are some careers in criminal justice that require a bachelor’s degree?

1. Intelligence analysts: They work to make analytical judgments through research after which they combine their findings into a detailed presentation or report.

2. Criminal profiler: They are specially trained individuals who work to identify a crime suspect by performing extensive analysis to identify the diverse pattern of criminals.

3. Youth correctional counselors: They work to counsel young offenders and help them make a difference in their individual lives.

4. Investigate reporters: They work to make analyses on new stories, you can also call them journalists. They make detailed and legit research on a topic, unbiased which they present understandably to the public.

5. Parole officers: They work with former inmates even as these officers work to ensure they are prepared for a better life and are doing well out there. The probation officers also do the same work but with those individuals who are in the prison on probation.

Skills Needed To Have A Boost In This Field 

  If you are thinking of pursuing a criminal justice career, there are certain skills that you need to possess.

  1. Critical Thinking Skills: Anyone who is, or is thinking of the criminal justice field must be a critical thinker. You must be a good thinker with good and timely reasoning skills. Ensure you pay keen attention to details.
  2. Time management skills: Anyone in the criminal justice field must be able to manage their time well, combining tasks without being weighed down. You must be a multi-tasker.
  3. Communication skills: This is one of the most important skills in the criminal justice field. You must be an excellent communicator, both in writing and in speaking. You must be able to deliver fluently and understandably. It is important to be persuasive and clear and most importantly, bold.
  4. A good listener: Anyone who wants to blossom in this field must be a good listener. You will come in contact with various kinds of people; rude, scared, agitated. You must know how to relate to and listen to them. It goes a long way to help your various roles in the criminal justice field.
  5. Physical fitness: If you are in some fields under criminal justice, you must also possess hard skills. Most of the roles in this field require you to be physically fit, for example, the police. You need to be extremely strong and trained to apprehend suspects. 

Salaries Of Those Working In The Criminal Justice Field

  Criminal justice is paid well, depending on their area of specialization. Here is a rundown of some jobs and salaries.

  • Forensic psychologists receive a yearly average salary of $98,230.
  • Intelligence analysts receive a yearly average salary of $74,000.
  • Criminal profilers receive a yearly average salary of $53,999.
  • Paralegals receive a yearly average of about $77,310.
  • An investigative reporter receives a yearly average of about $50,261.
  • Youth correctional counselors receive a yearly salary of about $61,797.
  • Probation officers receive an average yearly salary of $41,317.
  • Forensic science technicians receive a yearly average salary of $56,750.
  • Police officers receive a yearly average salary of about $55,010. You can work at the state, federal or local government levels.
  • Crime Prevention specialists receive a yearly salary of $52,000.

Conclusion:

Working as criminal justice personnel is a rewarding field as you can fit into the various sectors of the economy, whether the private or public sector. There are various things you can do with a criminal justice degree depending on the level of your skills and years of experience. The list of jobs that have been identified in this article is not exhaustive as there are a lot of opportunities for those in the criminal justice field with enticing salaries.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.  How challenging is it to pursue a career in criminal justice?

Answer: Despite criminal justice being an exciting path. It can be very challenging and will take a lot from an individual both physically and psychologically especially if you choose the legal or correctional field.

2. What are some of the important skills required in the criminal justice field?

Answer: Those in the criminal justice field are expected to be good communicators both in speaking and in writing, they are expected to be multitaskers with good time management skills, and they are expected to be people with good calm reasoning skills.

3. Can an individual with an associate degree find a career in the criminal justice sector?

Answer: An individual who has an associate degree or a 2-year degree can find a good job in the field. Having a 2-year degree is the minimum years of study which is accepted to pursue a career in this field.

4. What are some job roles which you can take up with a degree in criminal justice?

Answer: With a degree in criminal justice, there are a lot of roles that you can take up in both the private and government sector like a correctional counselor, a criminal crime scene investigator, a parole officer, a forensic technician, and many other roles.