Careers in Criminal Justice
Exploring Your Future in Criminal Justice
A degree in Criminal Justice opens the door to a wide range of career opportunities. Before making your career decision, it is essential to explore the many possibilities available in this dynamic and impactful field.
Students are encouraged to take full advantage of available resources. Many colleges and universities with criminal justice programs offer career placement services to assist students in identifying and pursuing their professional goals. Local Civil Service Commission offices can provide valuable information about federal agency positions, while visits to community criminal justice agencies and conversations with professionals in the field can offer first-hand insight and guidance. State Justice Planning Agencies can also share information about workforce needs within their jurisdictions.
Engaging with professional books, journals, and industry publications can deepen your understanding of the criminal justice system and help refine your career objectives.
Although criminal justice encompasses a broad range of roles, the system is generally organized into three primary subsystems:
- Law enforcement, which is responsible for enforcing the law.
- Courts, which safeguard the judicial process.
- Corrections, which provide treatment and rehabilitation.
The following lists a small sampling of the types of careers that are available in most states in each of these areas.
|
Law Enforcement
|
Courts
|
Corrections
|
|---|---|---|
| Patrolman | Prosecuting Attorney | Warden |
| Investigation Officer | Defense Attorney | Probation Officer |
| Traffic Officer | Judge | Parole Officer |
| Sheriff | Court Administrator | Jail/Prison Custodial Officer |
| Administrator | Bailiff | Counselor |
| Highway Patrolman | Court Clerk | Case Worker |
| Game Warden | Court Reporter | Administrator |
| Juvenile Officer | Recreation Specialist | |
| Training Instructor | Psychologist | |
| Forensic Science Specialist | Psychiatrist | |
| Dispatcher | Vocational and Academic Teacher | |
| Community Relations Officer |
At present, positions in the criminal justice system might be distributed along a ladder of education qualifications as illustrated. Take into consideration, however, that positions on this ladder will shift upward as higher educational requirements are adopted.
Ph.D. usually required
- University professor
- Criminologist
- Criminal justice researcher
- Criminal justice consultant
- Psychologist in corrections
Law or Master's degree usually required
- Criminal justice administrator
- College professor
- Attorney
- Juvenile officer
- Case worker
- Judge
- Counselor
- Court administrator
- Criminal justice planner
- Forensic science specialist
- Recreational specialist
Bachelor's degree usually required
- Vocational or academic teacher in corrections
- Probation officer
- Parole officer
- Law enforcement administrator
Some college/Bachelor's degree usually required
- Jail or prison custodial officer
- Court reporter
- Patrolman
- Sheriff
- Investigation officer
High School diploma usually required
- Dispatcher
- Game warden
- Bailiff
- Court clerk
Students graduating in criminal justice will find positions available in many areas of criminal and juvenile justice facilities, including police agencies, court systems and correctional institutions on local, state and federal levels. Opportunities are also available in the area of counseling, for example,treatment and casework with reintegrative efforts such as halfway houses and runaway shelters.
Students may attain positions as case and childcare workers or as youth counselors. In addition, the growing field of private security and police work is attractive to many graduates. Maintenance of court records and other various entry-level administrative positions also are job possibilities. Many criminal justice majors prepare for studies in law and enter law school upon graduation.
Those interested in pursuing graduate study are encouraged to consider pursuing an online Master's degree at Xavier University while employed. Many of our Master's degree graduates are now top-level decision makers in the field. Their positions include chief federal probation officer, FBI supervisor, police chief, and head of a state department of correction, with responsibility for the management of major correctional institutions in Ohio.