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Posts Tagged ‘Entry’

According to one source, the U.S. Department of Labor predicted that by 2010 there may be over a 29% increase in demand for criminal justice and security professionals such as FBI Agents, police officers, and private detectives.  Even though the economy is recovering slowly, criminal justice is providing entry level job opportunities.  For example, in law enforcement, there is a need for more workers because of the emphasis on homeland security.  Along with having the right skills, obtaining a degree in criminal justice is essential to be competitive with other job candidates and to be considered by employers.

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 judgement 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.

There are a variety of entry level jobs in criminal justice to choose from; 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

Some of the jobs in criminal justice that require more education or experience are:

Attorney
FBI Agent
Criminal Investigator
Substance Abuse Counselor
Police Detective

Candidates for jobs in criminal justice who have degrees will likely be more favorable with employers.  In the current economy, employers want to hire workers who best understand their needs, especially in today’s world of technology.  A degree in criminal justice can also benefit a candidate in the future who is interested in career advancement.  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 their fields.  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 in their fields.  Some jobs include fraud investigator, loss prevention manager, and detective.

Criminal Justice Master’s Program – It offers a Master’s 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 their fields.  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
Considerations 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).

Criminal justice graduates may be employed in places like:

Federal, state, and local government agencies
Security companies
Businesses and retail stores
Colleges and universities

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, your level of 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

Today, one group in law enforcement, police officers, can make from about $30,000 as new recruits to over $90,000 as supervisors or high level police officers, depending on the departments and the localities they work in.

Given all of the attention to national security these days, I would assume there could never be enough good people to protect and serve our country.  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 may job opportunities available, having the right education and skills could jump start you towards a successful career.  In addition to gaining personal satisfaction by keeping people safe, you may even be able to 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

http://www.successdegrees.com/criminal-justice-careers.html