The criminal justice field of service is a growing area of opportunity for both initial employment and future job growth and advancement. Whether you are just deciding on a career for which to study or are already employed in law enforcement and seek to further your knowledge and skills, a criminal justice degree will help you achieve your goals. Obtaining an Associate Degree or a Bachelor's Degree is possible online even if you need to continue to work full time while going to school. There are many online programs available to provide the training you need.
There are three major branches of the criminal justice system in the United States. The first is the adjudication process, which is work within the local, state or federal court systems. The second is the corrections process, which includes work in jails and prisons, meeting with parolees and in the probation department of the legal system. The third is the field of law enforcement, which includes first responders, crime investigations and detectives on all levels and areas of investigation. Within these three parts of the criminal justice system are dozens of different job titles and descriptions. When planning a course of study for a criminal justice degree, it is helpful to know which branch of the system you need to study to prepare for, or add on to, your desired field.
According to information available at the http://www.mycriminaljusticedegreeonline.com/ website, both Associate Degrees and Bachelor of Science Degrees are available from online schools. Be sure to enroll in an accredited program in order to receive complete credit for your degree work when you begin your employment search. An Associate Degree takes from 18 to 30 months to complete. A Bachelor of Science Degree takes from 30 to 38 months to obtain. On this website anyone can explore the different criminal justice positions and requirements, and then look up the schools that offer that training.
The study of criminal justice includes a variety of areas. Becoming a Crime Scene Investigator CSI) requires learning how to handle evidence and to study the elements that make up the whole scene of the rape, murder or other crime after it occurs. A CSI is called to testify about a crime scene's evidence during a defendant's trial. Many CSIs go on to specialize in particular fields such as DNA analysis or firearms and ballistics. They can also become criminal analysts, analyzing all the physical evidence gathered. Crime Scene Investigator is one of the fastest growing law enforcement fields. The study of criminal behavior takes one into the criminal mind and examines the causes of crimes, the relationship between the field of psychology and the justice system, assessments of personality, and intervention counseling in a crisis. Studying criminal behavior prepares the student for any enforcement officer position and is a fantastic preparation for the field of criminology. Another law enforcement degree program prepares a student for Homeland Security Administration and includes reaction training for dealing with terrorists' threats as well as handling catastrophic events (such as Hurricane Katrina). This field prepares the individual for local government positions, positions with higher level law enforcement agencies such as Homeland Security and the F.B.I., and even positions with the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) and Department of Human Resources (DHS) nationally.
Local, state and national law enforcement positions available for someone with a criminal justice degree are police officers, sheriffs, detectives, S.W.A.T. teams, private investigators, INS agents and U.S. Marshals. Individuals with this degree may also be agents with the F.B.I., C.I.A., Homeland Security, ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms- part of the U.S. Treasury Department) and the Secret Service. The INS (Immigration, Naturalization Service) and U.S. Customs Service are also job opportunities. Individuals who served in the military receive physical fitness endurance training and other skills that transfer well to the fields of law enforcement and criminal justice. Veterans can use their education benefits to help fund their degree program.
There are many other criminal justice system positions available, from bailiffs to compliance officers, paralegals to court reporters, and criminologists to sketch artists. Check the website My Criminal Justice Degrees Online for additional information on careers and online degree programs.
