One might ask, what are the different careers in criminal justice and where can one earn a degree?  Criminal Justice careers rank at different levels, depending upon how much education one needs to complete all the requirements needed.

Some of these criminal justice careers include forensics, corrections, homeland security and law enforcement.  The types of careers in criminal justice that are more of a scientific type typically require more education than do the law enforcement type such as a police officer, correctional office, or probation officer.

In deciding what type of career in criminal justice you want to choose, it is important to know what the requirements are. Some career choices do require a minimum of an associates degree. Other careers in criminal justice require you to have at least a bachelor’s degree such as; a criminologist, FBI agent, certain law enforcement positions, and secret service careers.  Some of these jobs also require additional tests and additional educational specializations.   Some advanced positions such as  criminologist, and forensic psychologist  require a master’s degree.

There are so many exciting choices to make when deciding on what type of career in criminal justice would be ideal for each individual. The higher the education level that one reaches, the more career choices the will have available to them.Imagine how exciting it would be to have a career where you obtain hair and fingernail samples or get DNA and report on your investigations. Or perhaps becoming a US marshall hunting down fugitives and bringing them to justice. Or maybe you aspire to work as secret service for the president. As you can see there are nearly endless possibilities in this field. Much of is depends on your own personal interests.

Some individuals find that although they know they are interested in criminal justice they are not sure which avenue they want pursue. In this case it is wise to continue research, perhaps start working towards a degree in criminal justice and consider applying for jobs in the field that do not require degrees such as a correctional officer or police officer. These positions will teach you a lot and would be invaluable regardless of where you end up in your career.

So, whether you choose to be a corrections officer, criminologist, secret service, or part of the forensics team, there are so many exciting choices in criminal justice careers. On the right you will find several links with more information on some specific criminal justice careers that you may be interested in pursing. Look these over and as you read about the positions try and picture yourself doing the job. Is it something you think you would enjoy? Are you willing to put in the time and effort to get there? If you find something that truly interests you consider meeting with someone that does the job and talk with them. Ask what they like and don’t like about the job. Ask them how they got there and where their current position might allow them to advance too. Find out what schooling and specialized training the job requires. The more questions you ask the more you will learn and the easier it will be to make an educated decision about whether or not it is the right job for you.