If you’ve always wanted to make a difference in the nation by choosing a career in law enforcement, you may want to consider researching the types of criminal justice jobs available in Homeland Security. Ever since the devastating terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the government has increased funding and expanded the number of employees who work for the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to secure the borders and protect US citizens from attack.
Because there are so many different risks that the department must protect against, there are a variety of different jobs that you can pursue with a relevant four-year degree or graduate degree. Each of these jobs could be in division divisions of the Department of Homeland Security like the Transportation Security Administration or Secret Service. Here are some of the titles you might be interested in holding:
Crime Prevention Specialists
Criminal justice is an expansive field of study. You can contribute to the field in a number of different ways by enforcing laws, searching for offenders, investigating crimes, or trying defendants in court. You can also contribute to the field by preventing crime if you pursue a job in one of the many divisions in the Department of Homeland Security as a Crime Prevention Specialist.
Crime Prevention Specialists are essential team members in DHS divisions like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Secret Service. Their number one function is to analyze crime statistics and implement new policies that will help law enforcement or other agents prevent crime before it’s even committed. These efforts help potential victims and they also help reduce the number of cases that must be heard in local, state and Federal courts.
Counterterrorism Agents and Analysts
There are hundreds of known foreign terrorist groups that are considered threats to Americans both domestically and abroad. If you would like to monitor these groups in an effort to fight terrorism and update law enforcement agencies of your findings, becoming a Counterterrorism Analyst could be the perfect fit for you.
Agents that work in counterterrorism will typically work in the Central Intelligence Agency or the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Their pay grade is high because they receive a base salary and also Law Enforcement Availability Pay for being available 24 hours a day, according to the US Office of Personnel Management. Typically, you’ll be required to possess a Master of Science in Criminology or a related field before qualifying for a position as an agent.
Airport Security
If you don’t currently have a degree or much experience in law enforcement, you may still be able to qualify for a criminal justice job through the Department of Homeland Security. One of the entry-level options that you can choose is working as an airport security officer through the Transportation Security Administration.
One of the advantages of applying as an officer through TSA is that you can work at one of more than 450 US airports in the US. That leaves you the option to transfer if you relocate which means that many officers stay with the agency for a long time. Even better is the opportunity to climb the ladder inside the agency to become a compliance officer or a senior-level officer.
Related Resource: Where Do Security Officers Work?
There are so many different paths that you can travel down if you want to work in criminal justice. If you don’t want to work at a local or state level, one alternative is to work with the Department of Homeland Security. These are just a few types of criminal justice jobs available in Homeland Security that are fulfilling and pay well based on your level of education.
