When it comes to earning a degree in criminal justice, many people think this degree is only for those pursuing a career as a police officer. Truth is, there are many professions found in the criminal justice field, making it advantageous for those who earn a criminal justice degree. From working as a FBI agent to being a paralegal, there are career paths that will appeal to a wide range of interests and skills.
Correctional Officer
A correctional officer will spend much of his or her time working in jails or prisons. Sometimes, this type of professional may transport inmates from one facility to another as well as to and from court hearings. The overall responsibility of a correctional officer is to supervise inmates, making sure they obey rules. They are also responsible for making sure inmates are properly fed and that they have access to adequate hygiene.
Homicide Detective
Homicide detectives are not police officers, however, they do spend the most of their time supporting police officers by helping them to solve homicides. They work to figure out when a crime took place, how it took place and much more. In many instances, homicide detectives supervise the work carried out by crime scene technicians. The work performed in this profession is oftentimes very stressful.
FBI Agent
FBI agents spend their time protecting the nation against organized crime, terrorism, major thefts, public corruption and much more. To become a FBI agent, a person will have to go through almost 1,000 hours of training in addition to earning the criminal justice degree.
US Marshal
Another way to make use of a criminal justice degree is to become a US Marshal. In this line of work, a person will transport federal witnesses as well as protect federal prisoners. Sometimes, a Marshal will arrest criminals, protect judges and jurors.
US Postal Inspector
Postal inspectors spend their time investigating crimes, such as theft or fraud, that relates to the US mail. Through an assortment of research leads and forensic techniques, US postal inspectors are able to solve a wide range of postal-related crimes. In addition to earning a criminal justice degree, those in this profession will have to go through 12 weeks of training at a facility located in Maryland.
Probation Officer
A probation officer, like a correctional officer, spends his or her time working with people who have been convicted of crime(s); however, a probation officer works with the convicted persons after they have been released from jail or prison. His or her duty is to make sure the convicted persons abide by certain stipulations which tend to include checking in every so often, maintaining a job, passing drug tests and more.
DEA Agent
DEA agents spend their time enforcing drug laws. They investigate, arrest and tear down drug traffickers as well as the organizations that the traffickers are a part of. In addition to a criminal justice degree, DEA agents have to go through 18 weeks of basic training, and depending on the exact career path followed, further training may or may not be required.
