What can you do with a criminal justice degree? if this is your query, this article features all answers regarding your query. Pursuing a degree program in criminal justice and earning a degree can actually prepare you for various occupations in advocacy, law enforcement, legal studies, and social work. We gave you a full detail information here in law school for better intelligence.

In fact, earning a bachelor’s or even an associate degree in criminal justice can help you to gain entry in this field and access several high-paying career opportunities but only when u have clear idea what can you do with the degree to make your future brighter. Let’s start the journey to know everything about what can you do with a criminal justice degree?

It is a well-known fact that a lot of students aspire for a successful career in the field of criminal justice. As a result, numerous degree programs in criminal justice have been introduced to help students through studying and learning the criminal justice system. A typical criminal justice degree program not only includes essential courses on criminology and the US judicial system but also covers alternative rehabilitation strategies, internships, and capstone projects. 

What can you do with a criminal justice degree
What can you do with a criminal justice degree

What can you do with a Criminal Justice Degree : In Brief

Many students face such similar questions and they often seek expert guidance and suggestions in this regard(what can you do with a criminal justice degree). Well, by earning a criminal justice degree, you can easily access various rewarding career opportunities in academia and leadership. Continue reading this guide to learn more about this topic, various concentration options, and an overview of career options in this field.

Criminal Justice – An Overview

Criminal justice basically refers to the system that recognizes, apprehends, settles on the guilt or innocence, incarcerates, as well as rehabilitates all convicted or alleged criminals. As a matter of fact, the criminal justice system consists of 3 significant parts – law enforcement, court, and corrections. By now you can get an idea of What can you do with a criminal justice degree if you have.

It is important for you to know that the scientific study of criminal behavior at societal and individual levels is referred to as criminology. So, learners with a degree in criminal justice or criminal justice professionals not only formulate purposeful public policies but also oversee the application of criminal justice.

Criminal Justice Degree Courses

At first, before learning about what can you do with a criminal justice degree we must have a clear sense of the degree and its related courses. With a wide range of programs available for this topic, a lot of students often get confused while choosing the right type of criminal justice degree for a successful desired career. Well, most of the programs usually offer a similar core curriculum, which includes courses in crime prevention, criminal investigation, forensic psychology, and criminal justice ethics.

1. Criminal Investigation

2. Crime Prevention

3. Criminal Law for Criminal Justice

4. Research Methods in Criminal Justice

5. Applied Criminal Justice Ethics

Since most criminal justice degree programs share similar coursework, it is imperative that you study and learn about the different integrated criminal justice courses. 

●       Criminal Investigation – This criminal justice coursework provides a detailed introduction to the practices and theories of crime investigation. This course also explains the legal importance of evidence, crime scene preservation, criminal case preparation, and legal courtroom presentations. Moreover, students can also learn about crime scene reconstruction, crime scene photography, and other interviewing techniques.

●       Criminal Law for Criminal Justice – In this course program, students get to learn about different types of crime – personal, inchoate, property, and statutory. In addition to this, this coursework also offers a basic understanding of various criminal defense strategies and techniques.

●       Crime Prevention – This course concentrates on the primary crime prevention techniques and strategies. It covers all essential criminal prevention topics like deterrence, community policing, rehabilitation, community role, and environmental design. 

●       Research Methods in Criminal Justice – In this criminal justice class, students get to explore and learn the fundamentals of performing research in criminal justice. This course covers topics like data collection techniques, research design, quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and other research ethics.

●       Applied Criminal Justice Ethics – This particular program covers morality and ethics in the framework of the criminal justice system. Criminal justice students can complete this course to explore various important issues such as law enforcement rules of ethics, assessing noble cause corruption, and other ethical matters.

Criminal Justice Concentrations
Criminal Justice Concentrations

Criminal Justice Concentrations

As discussed above, these programs incorporate courses that eventually provide core knowledge of criminology, the criminal justice system, and the legal system. Additionally, most degree programs in criminal justice also allow learners to choose a particular concentration in order to dig deeper into their area of interest. The most common criminal justice concentrations may include:

1. Crime scene investigation

2. Forensic Psychology

3. Homeland security

4. Juvenile Justice

5. Law Enforcement

It usually becomes quite difficult for prospective criminal justice students to choose the right concentration for their successful criminal justice career. Therefore, it is imperative that you explore the various criminal justice concentrations and select the right degree concentration for a successful career. 

·    Crime Scene Investigation – This concentration in criminal justice focuses on the principles and ethics of analyzing as well as collecting pieces of evidence from the crime scene. In the crime scene investigation, students get to learn suitable techniques for setting up the crime scene boundaries, searching for various pieces of evidence, and determining forensic materials.

·    Homeland Security – It is another major criminal justice study in which students prepare for career opportunities related to securing the country’s borders and preventing terrorism. Its major topics may include the origin and history of terrorism, crisis negotiation, conflict resolution, disaster preparedness, and disaster management.

·    Forensic Psychology – Concentration in forensic psychology eventually allows students to explorer psychology in the milieu of criminal justice. This criminal justice concentration basically includes all the essential factors that can possibly influence criminal behavior. Criminal justice students opt for this concentration to learn strategies for interacting or dealing with crime victims and criminals.

·    Law Enforcement – It is another common concentration in criminal justice that mainly focuses on criminal law, as well as the operations of law enforcement organizations. Students who opt for law enforcement concentration get to learn about the US constitution, Supreme Court cases involving different laws, and the Bill of Rights. This criminal justice concentration also explores issues like public expectations, community policing, and civil liability.

·    Juvenile Justice – This criminal justice concentration explores crucial topics like crime prevention programs and case management for juvenile offenders. Students also get to learn about crime sentencing, as well as relationship building with juvenile offenders and their families.

I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice now what?’

what can you do with a criminal justice degree along with this question comes another very commonly asked question i have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice now what? Also there are a variety of things one can do with a criminal justice degree lets talk about it in brief. As we all know the field of Law & Education is vast and so the sources and scopes of career in Law is also very large and specially very respectful. A lot of job opportunity with a range of good salary are there in online as well as offline.

Criminal Justice Careers and Salaries

When you don’t know about What can you do with a criminal justice degree, probably you have no idea regarding the job profile, other income sources, salary and many more. As per your queries we have all the answers given below one by one regarding criminal justice careers and salaries.

What all can you do with a criminal justice degree – Career Opportunities

Graduates in criminal justice are eligible and qualified enough to join the workforce of individuals who are passionate about fairness and protecting others. Whether you have an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree, or a master’s degree in criminal justice, you can easily work as police officers, forensic science technicians, probation officers, or private detectives.

If you prefer behind the scene career options, then you can consider becoming expert forensic science technicians. However, if you love to coordinate and work under pressure, then you can choose to become emergency management directors. Lastly, if you’re an aspiring criminal justice professional and you wish to work on the frontlines, then you can pursue a career as a police officer or a probation officer.

It is of great importance for you to know that regardless of the professional goals, objectives, and aspirations, criminal justice aspirants are benefited with job security. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the growth of criminal justice professionals in various concentrations is expected to rise by 14% in the future. So, you can easily acquire a successful career and access various high-paying career opportunities with a criminal justice degree.

What jobs can you do with a criminal justice degree
What jobs can you do with a criminal justice degree

What jobs can you do with a criminal justice degree

Its very usual that if you’re searching What can you do with a criminal justice degree? you must want to make career or find a proper job based on the degree profile. As discussed above, the graduates and professional aspirants with a criminal justice degree can easily work in diverse roles like police officers, detectives, FBI agents, and corrections managers. There are numerous common roles that are readily available for criminal justice graduates or degree holders. Some of these job roles and their potential salaries are listed below.

1. Corrections Manager  (Average Salary – $44,000 per year)

These criminal justice professionals are responsible for supervising various correctional facilities as well as employees at the prison. It is important for you to know that corrections manager is a mid-level role that typically requires working with supporting staffers and supervisors.

Professional correction managers not only ensure the frontline safety and security of workers but also make certain that the inmates as well as overall administration are well-secured. So, if you’re willing to become a professional corrections manager, then you would probably require a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice along with several years of experience.

2. Crime Scene Investigator (Average salary – $46,050 per year)

If you are here to know about what can you do with a criminal justice degree then let me clear you this is most commonly pursued criminal justice career option. A professional crime scene investigator is responsible for helping detectives and police in their investigations by collecting, as well as analyzing all essential evidence from the crime scene. It is important for you to know that most crime scene investigators are police officers and they generally have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with some science background.

3. Emergency Management Coordinator (Average salary – $55,250 per year)  

An emergency management coordinator is a criminal justice professional who is actually responsible for preparing necessary plans and procedures for countering natural disasters. As a matter of fact, most professional emergency management coordinators work with the local or state governments in order to respond to natural disasters and other emergencies.

It is important for you to know that this mid-level role requires learners, as well as aspirants to have multiple years of experience in disaster planning, emergency response, and public administration. These criminal justice professionals can also find jobs at hospitals, health care centers, and other non-profit organizations.

4. FBI Agent (Average Salary – $64,600 per year)

A job as an FBI agent is perhaps the pinnacle of a criminal justice career. FBI agents are basically criminal justice professionals who are responsible for investigating organized crimes, federal crimes, and cybercrime. These professionals also work with local and federal governments to combat terrorism. Most of these FBI agents are stationed in the United States or overseas.

So, if you’re interested in shaping your career as an FBI agent, then you need to have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minimum GPA of 3.0. As a criminal justice learner, it is imperative that you have a minimum of 3 years of significant work experience in order to qualify for the rigorous process of becoming an FBI agent. Moreover, you will also be required to face background checks, tough interviews, personality profiles, and various physical standards. 

5. Forensic Accountant (Average Salary – $70,200 per year)

Essentially referred to as financial detectives, professional forensic accountants are required to examine account records, assemble timelines of significant economic activities, and calculate assets. These criminal justice professionals also gather all essential evidence of possible wrongdoing in order to assist legal cases in fraud, bankruptcies, embezzlement, and insurance claims.

6. Forensic Psychologist (Average salary – $79,000 per year)

Forensic psychologists are essential criminal justice professionals who are responsible for evaluating and observing civil cases or other broader issues related to the court system. The evaluations of forensic psychologists are used by the courts for addressing various cases and issues. So, if you’re interested in working as a forensic psychologist, then all you need to have is a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. You can also hold a master’s degree in psychology to be eligible for this job.

7. Paralegal (Average Salary – $50,900 per year)

While talking about what jobs can you do with a criminal justice degree the first and foremost profile that come in our mind is a paralegal. Paralegals are significant criminal justice professionals who are responsible for supporting lawyers and advocates by conducting legal research, organizing and maintaining files, and drafting documents. Although most paralegals usually hold a bachelor’s degree, you can also opt for supplementary paralegal certifications in order to access better career opportunities.

8. Social Worker (Average Salary – $49,400 per year)

When you are talking about what can you do with a criminal justice degree? the first thing that will come in your mind is social work. A career in social work or social services is immensely popular among criminal justice professionals. A professional and well-experienced social worker is responsible for helping poor families with food assistance and money, conduct drug-abuse prevention programs, as well as counsel incarcerated minors. So, if you’re interested in shaping your career as a social worker, then you can consider pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

What can you do with a criminal justice degree
What can you do with a criminal justice degree

The Bottom Line

We wish your doubts regarding What can you do with a criminal justice degree has been cleared now as with a degree in criminal justice, you can easily become eligible for various entry-level government careers and so on. The field of criminal justice looks outstanding for a foreseeable future. As public security continues to be a dominant aspect, many government entities and private institutions invest in hiring criminal justice professionals to counter criminology and terrorism. . Thus we hope you got all your answer what all can you do with a criminal justice degree.

In order to learn more about what can you do with a criminal justice degree, contact and speak with our academic experts today at onlineschoolsnearme.com.