What Jobs Can You Get With a Criminal Justice Degree?

A criminal justice degree requires you to study criminal behavior, how society attempts to stop it and how to rehabilitate criminals. During your education, you will learn about the psychological, environmental and economic causes of criminal behavior, the legal system and philosophies of punishment. You will also study about the ethical implications of using this knowledge.

Police Officers

One of the most common career paths for people with criminal justice degrees is as a police officer. Police officers usually start on patrol in a certain area and respond to calls for police help. In smaller departments, officers will be called on to perform a variety of work, but larger departments might have officers specialize in certain types of crime or public relations work to mobilize neighborhoods to help fight crime.

Detectives

Detectives work to investigate crimes and gather evidence that can be used to determine who is responsible for the crime. Gathering evidence can include canvasing crimes scenes, talking to witnesses and interrogating suspects. Detectives will stick with crimes they are assigned until they are solved or the cases are abandoned. In larger police departments, detectives usually specialize in a specific type of crime such as burglaries, rapes or murders.

Probation and Parole Officers

Probation officers are assigned to cases where individuals must be kept under surveillance as part of the criminal's attempted rehabilitation. Most probation officers either work with adult cases or juvenile cases. Parole officers make sure specific conditions are met by the person on parole to avoid going back to jail, such as meeting on a regular basis or not using drugs and alcohol. In some cases, probation and parole officers testify at court hearings and serve as a mentor to those they monitor.

Correctional Officer

Correctional officers work in government jails and prisons and are responsible for keeping track of the inmates in the facility. They make sure the inmates are being treated properly, prevent fights from breaking out and prevent inmates from escaping. Correctional officers keep records on inmate behavior and escort inmates to and from their hearings and trials.

Customs Agent

A United States customs agent is responsible for making sure illegal people and goods do not enter the country. They work in airports, train stations and ports examining personal and commercial baggage. They might detain those transporting illegal goods for questioning or make arrests.

References

• Criminal Justice Major
• Bureau of Labor Statistics - Police and Detectives
• Bureau of Labor Statistics - Correctional Officers