An Criminal Justice Associates Degree can offer you versatile, lucrative, and rewarding career options. The criminal justice associates degree holders work towards making the world a better and safer place to live. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects significant growth in this sector in the coming years. If you wish to tap in the demand and gain a lot in terms of your career, you can visit law school.
Criminal justice professional are engage in serving the public, keeping them safe, and upholding the law. They serve as a crucial part of a healthy, educated, and safe society. The major components of criminal justice are fire protection, law enforcement, information security, emergency management, and ethics.
It is one of the most popular streams of academic education, attracting a lot of passionate candidates. Apart from this, a recent poll conducted in the US reveals that Criminal Justice Associates Degree and corrections are two of the most popular concentrations among the undergraduates there. Best criminal justice colleges in NY can help you to obtain the necessary technical training and offer you specific programs to prepare well for these career paths.
Criminal Justice Associates Degree-Common Courses
You will learn a variety of courses depending upon the major focus of your Criminal Justice Associates Degree program. Here are the top 3 courses that are present in this program.
- Crime and prevention
- Introduction to criminal investigations
- Correctional systems
Crime and Prevention – This course is involve in teaching the prime nature of criminal activity and its impact on society. It also highlights the factors that lead to criminals committing such crimes. The students will explore the possible effects of prevention and diversion efforts. Apart from this, they will also learn about data usage to reduce crime and best practices followed in law enforcement.
Introduction to Criminal Investigation – In this course, the students will learn about the basics of investigating crimes, questioning the witnesses, and about the rights of the accused. It also explores the best investigation practices, including the collection, analysis, and processing of the various types of physical evidence. This is an introductory course that primarily emphasizes on efficient oversight of the major criminal cases.
Correctional Systems – This course offers in-depth knowledge of the US correctional system. It also gives an insight into the various ways this system rehabilitates and punishes the criminal offenders. The students will get an opportunity to explore the procedures used in the state prisons, county and city jails, and other federal correctional facilities. They will also learn how these correctional facilities are different from each other. Probation, parole, victim restitution, and capital punishment are the key topics of discussion in this course. There are also option for online criminal justice degree texas that could open pathways to various career paths in the criminal justice and other paralegal fields.
Criminal justice associates degree: Is it worth it?
Prospective candidates are likely to consider the following questions when selecting a criminal justice associates program:
- For an associate’s degree, what kinds of career openings are available in the criminal justice field?
- What is the regular wage for an associate’s degree in criminal justice?
- Is a criminal justice associate’s degree worthwhile?
The good news is that after graduation, students will have a plethora of options in the criminal justice industry. Better pay packages, ample space for growth, refined expertise, and a labor market edge are all advantages of an associate’s degree in criminal justice.
Why get a criminal justice associates degree?
A criminal justice associate’s degree reflects a career seeker’s knowledge of the legal system. Employers will be aware that the candidate has completed seminars on the constitutional procedure, legal theory, the court system, criminal justice investigations, and criminal habits.
If the career seeker has no prior experience in the industry, an associate’s degree can give them an edge by proving that they have a criminal justice history. In reality, even though a candidate has prior law enforcement experience, more and more companies are seeking 60 college credits in order to be considered for a law enforcement career.
The bulk of associate degree programs require at least 60 credit hours to complete. New employees in major metropolitan areas such as Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia are required to have an associate’s degree. A career seeker with an associate degree in criminal justice may apply for a variety of jobs within the police force.
While many criminal justice degree recipients go on to work as police officers, they may also work as a dispatcher, investigator, tech officer, or support staff member. Work vacancies may be advertised by each police agency, with specific education and skill criteria. And guess what, a criminal justice associates degree is what gets the leverage as far as competition is concerned.
Opportunities are immense
Graduates with an associate’s degree in criminal justice will work in law offices, insurance agencies, juvenile detention centers, and defense firms. Graduates with an associate’s degree in criminal justice can work in the following positions:
- Corrections officer
- Detective
- Evidence technician
- Insurance fraud investigator
- Paralegal
- Police officer
- Probation officer
- Security manager
- Security officer
- Victim advocate
So, what’s next?
Criminal justice is the study of the mechanism we use to track, apprehend, convict, and execute offenders in society. It is more concerned about the structures that surround the crime scene than with the causes of the crime.
When you pursue a criminal justice associates degree, you will have a better understanding of the processes and practices that deal with violence and its offenders. There are several facets of both the analysis and administration of a criminal justice degree, much as there are numerous dimensions of the crime itself.
Although police officers are the most visible representation of criminal justice and are essential to keeping the system going, there are also options for those involved in social care, the legal profession, or even careers in the private industry. The possibilities are endless.
Online Criminal Justice Associates Degree– Career Opportunity
Students, who are interested in pursuing an online course in Criminal Justice Associates Degree, will find versatile career option after graduation. Some can qualify for detectives, police officers, or any other roles under the criminal justice department. Here are the top three career options for associate degree holders:
- Law Enforcement Officer
- Probation Officer
- Correctional Officer
Law Enforcement Officer – Detectives or police officers are responsible to protect the public by responding to various emergency and non-emergency problems. Apart from this, they are also responsible to patrol neighborhoods and cities, observe and arrest defendants, gather relevant evidence, and complete reports. These officers also frequently testify at the court of law as a part of the criminal proceedings. Moreover, many officers become detectives later on and shift their focus on crime investigations.
Probation Officer – Probation officer or community supervision officers are involve in interviewing and evaluating the probationers and parolees. This is done to determine the best approach for their rehabilitation. This is quite a crucial and intense profile that requires a good understanding of human psychology and human behavior. These professionals also regularly testify in the court of law. They meet with their family members and mandate drug testing procedures.
Correctional Officer – A correctional officer is responsible to enforce orders in prisons and jails. They are involve in supervising the prison inmates, searching illegal items, and generating report on their behavior and performance. They take care of the safety and security of the prison facilities. These professionals also play a crucial role in transporting inmates from one jail to another. For further information visit best colleges for criminal justice and law enforcement and enhance your career possibilities in the best possible manner.
Entry-level jobs criminal justice associates degree
Many students opt to go for a bachelor’s program after completion of the Criminal Justice Associates Degree. This qualifies them to apply for higher-level positions in the criminal justice system.
- Criminal Justice – A criminal justice bachelor’s degree offers a detailed insight into criminology and the probable ways a criminal justice system handles offenders at different levels. The bachelor degree holders can apply for the positions of law enforcement supervisor or detective in the future.
- Social Work – Social work programs allow graduates to work directly with adults and at-risk youth. Their primary motive is to address issues like substance abuse, unemployment, and other factors that generally lead to criminal intentions and behavior.
- Sociology – Sociology deals with society, its norms, laws, and institutions. Students who have an associate degree in criminal justice have an upper hand in this department. They are already well-verse with the fundamentals of this domain, giving them an extra edge to perform better in the associates degree.
Criminal Justice associates degree salary
Here is the per annum median salary range of some of the top criminal justice positions. Please note that the upper range is for professionals with 10+ years of experience.
- Fire Science – $34,700 to $56,600
- Legal Studies – $32,300 to $51,300
- Criminal Justice Administration – $36,800 to $50,200
- Law Enforcement – $34,000 to $50,200
- Legal Assistance Studies – $33,400 to $46,300
- Criminal Justice – $31,100 to $46,000
- Police Officers – $43,146 to $55,662
- Detectives – $50,000 to $63,000
- Probation Officers – $35,057 to $45,742
- Forensic Scientists – $ 47,000 to $63,000
Students who wish to pursue their career in this domain should start searching for the right associates degree in criminal justice for themselves. They must ensure that they select a college that is recognized from a reputed university plus offers them flexibility, affordability, and maximum exposure. Get in touch with Online schools near me for more details on this course.
