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Criminal Justice Jobs
Cleaning up the City with Criminal Justice Jobs
Criminal justice refers to a system of practices that are used by national and local governments in maintaining social
order and controlling crime. Criminal justice also concerns the sanctioning of those who violate laws with criminal
penalties. Criminal Justice jobs are a very interesting, exciting and an equally rewarding field. Those with
a background in criminal justice, sociology, criminology, psychology and other human services discipline will find themselves
directly or indirectly be involved in criminal justice. The range of positions filled under criminal justice encompasses a
defense lawyer to a paralegal, and a corrections officer to a homicide detective.
Agencies that are primarily connected to the criminal justice field and law enforcement are the police, defense
attorneys and prison department. These agencies oversee and administer the procedures involving the arrest, charging, and
punishment of those found guilty. In the pursuit of criminal justice, the rule of thumb is innocent until proven guilty
and to uphold justice, fairness and process. Criminal justice takes in different forms and often reflects cultural
standings of the society.
Job prospects in the criminal justice field are encouraging and an experience of a lifetime. As years go by, forensic
technology and legal issues are constantly evolving and reaching new advances and thus, this opens up more and more careers
in criminal justice. With the increasing rate of the population and with many different cultures living together in a
community, crime rates are bound to go up- not that this is a good thing, but this will bring better employment opportunities
for advocates of crime fighting.
Positions and Qualaifications
Entry level job positions in criminal justice are Body Guard, CIA Agent, Corrections Officer, Court Clerk, Customs Agent,
Detective, Drug Enforcement Agent, FBI Agent, US Marshall, Paralegal, Park Ranger and Private Security Officer. In order to
get yourself into one of these criminal justice jobs, you would need a handful of skills and characteristics because,
remember- you are working with people of all kinds of backgrounds and different mental state. Entry level positions require
the candidate to have written & presentation skills, understanding societies' reaction to crimes, the local communities
ethics and moral values, considerations of gender & race, interviewing skills and a strong background in humanities, social
science, criminal law and the judiciary system.
A degree in Criminal Justice will help interested students attain the above requirements as well as give them further
knowledge in law enforcement, corrections, probation, immigration, security services, homeland security, juvenile justice
and forensics. The degree, usually in social work, criminal justice, or a related field is required to work in the
criminal justice field and it will take up at least 3 to 4 years to complete. If a student wishes to enter the police force
directly, then he or she can undergo accelerated officer training programs.
However, career advancement is much lower. A student can opt to further their studies in Criminal Justice by doing a masters
or PhD if they wish to become the head of a criminal justice department. Salaries in criminal justice jobs depend on
ranking. The average salary of a police officer is $45,300. A police sergeant can earn up to $64,500 yearly while a police
chief makes up to $91,600 a year.
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