Entry Level Jobs in Criminal Justice

A career in criminal justice allows you to get involved in holding any accused individuals responsible for their actions that endanger the lives of other people. One web site describes criminal justice as “the series of steps involved in proving any criminal activity like gathering evidences, arresting the accused, conducting trials, making defense, pronouncing judgment after the crime is proved, and carrying out punishment.” If you decide to study this field, you can learn more about the American Criminal Justice System. There is a wide range of entry level jobs in criminal justice to choose from, including those at the federal, state, and local levels.

What areas can you get into with a criminal justice degree? The ones I found are: social services, judiciary and law, law enforcement, business, and education. Under these areas, you can pursue various types of employment, where you could find entry level jobs in criminal justice; in addition, each area of the field has multiple employers. For example, if you like social services, you could work in counseling or may be in corrections; two employers in social services are youth correction facilities and domestic violence agencies. Each area of criminal justice has strategies designed to carry out a successful path to a career in the field. In social services, it might be helpful to get further instruction in handling social problems or grieving, as well as to have experience working with young people.
I found that there are many entry level jobs in criminal justice to consider; they include, but are not limited to, the following:
-Bailiff
-Body Guard
-Detective
-Discrimination Investigator
-Military Officer
-Corrections Officer
-FBI Agent
-Social Worker
-Teacher
-Youth Advocate
College students who major in criminal justice have three degree programs available to them:
Criminal Justice Associate’s Program– It offers an Associate in Science Degree in Criminal Justice that allows graduates to work in different environments in the field. Some jobs include corrections officer, security officer, and social worker.
Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Program– It offers a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice that gives graduates a specialized overview of the criminal justice system and prepares them for jobs at the entry level or in middle management in different environments of the field. Some jobs include fraud investigator, loss prevention manager, and detective.
Criminal Justice Master’s Program– It offers a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice that gives graduates a specialized overview of the criminal justice system and prepares them for jobs in management in different environments of the field. Here, you can expand your skills by receiving knowledge for your potential job and gain expertise in certain specialized areas of criminal justice. Some jobs include forensics scientist, crime prevention specialist, and criminal investigator.
Here is a list of the major skills required of college graduates looking for entry level jobs in criminal justice:
-Written and verbal skills
-Understanding societies’ reaction to crimes
-Consideration of gender and race
-Quantitative skills
-High degree of physical fitness and the ability to work under pressure
-Ability to work independently as well as being part of a team
-Understand and respect values and workings of the legal system
-Ethics and moral values
-Strong background in humanities, social science, and natural science
Other skills to note include having good computer skills and being able to speak in another language (bilingual).
Finally, you may be wondering how much money you can make with an entry level salary in criminal justice. Well, that depends on which area you work in, the location of the job, and which level you work for. Oh yeah, education and experience are big factors too. For example, consider law enforcement. As of 2008, here are the entry level salaries for law enforcement:
-Federal jobs- About $39,500
-State jobs- $34,000 (may vary)
-County jobs- About $29,500
-City jobs- Between $31,000-$41,000
If you are interested in learning about the American Criminal Justice System, you may want to consider looking at entry level jobs in criminal justice. With many job opportunities available, having the right education and skills could jump start you towards a successful career. You may even improve the legal system of the United States.
Sources
http://www.directdegree.com/s/CriminalJusticeCareers.shtml
http://www.uncwil.edu/stuaff/career/Majors/criminal.htm
http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/career/Students/ChoosingAMajor/html/criminaljust.htm
http://www.uwec.edu/career/Students/Major/criminal_justice.htm
http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/employ.htm

Originally posted by William Frierson