Career Options After Attending a College for Criminal Justice

The list of criminal justice careers after attending college is literally too long to list. In this world of constant litigation and an ever-increasing need for security, the field of criminal justice is growing at a rapid rate. Getting a degree from a criminal justice college can a great first step towards one of the great legal, law enforcement, and corrections careers listed and discussed below.

Paralegals are essentially legal assistants who do some of the tasks of a lawyer such as helping lawyers prepare for legal cases, including opening and closing statements, investigating the facts of cases, and researching past legal rulings that have an impact on a case. Paralegals cannot give legal advice or represent anyone in court. There are specific paralegal preparation programs, including a certificate in paralegal studies.

Mediators are also called conciliators and arbitrators, and perform intervention with parties involved in a legal dispute trying to reach a decision or agreement before going to trial. Mediators generally need some specialized training.

Court Reporters type word for word accounts of legal proceedings, including trials, mediation, and dispositions. Training after graduation from a college for criminal justice can take an additional year, although many of the skills can be learned on the job.

Police Officers protect communities in various positions, and probably have the most well-known job of all the careers possible after attending a college for criminal justice. Police Officers have to go through Police Academy training after graduation, and have the opportunity to take tests to rise through the ranks of positions.

Corrections Officers serve in prisons and jails, including detention centers, keeping the population of inmates safe and accountable. Some specialized training is necessary, in addition to studying criminal justice.

Probation Officers are generally members of the Police Academy, and have the same training as a Police Officer. They keep track of recently paroled inmates and keep them accountable to meeting their parole terms.

Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigate major crimes that are high profile, involve multiple states, and/or federal crimes. The first year as an FBI agent includes specialized training which takes sixteen weeks, and is required in addition to the admissions requirement of a college degree or law degree.

Forensic Scientists look at evidence from crime scenes and use technology to examine and interpret it. This can include DNA testing, testing for drugs and other toxins, looking at paints and chemicals at a crime scene, and many other activities. Significant schooling in sciences is necessary in addition to attendance at a college for criminal justice.

These careers are only some of the ones available after a student graduates from a college for criminal justice. Do you think you'd be successful in one or more of these careers? If so, locate a criminal justice school today!