What can You Do with a Criminal Justice Degree?


Tuesday, May 11, 2021

If you are interested in pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice, you should analyze the different career paths it leads to. Here you can discover what you can do with a criminal justice degree once you graduated. Keep reading and find out more! 



Deciding what major to pursue is not an easy decision. There are so many aspects that need to be considered that it can turn the decision into an overwhelming process. 
What are the aspects that I need to consider? From your interests, your passions, and your abilities, to your future expectations, your earning potential, and the job opportunities you will have, the list of factors that contribute to your decision is long. For that reason, you must perform extensive research that provides you with a deep insight into each degree you are considering so that you can make a decision that benefits you in the long run. 
If you are considering a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice as one of your main options, here is everything you need to know about this interesting, dynamic and important field. 

What is Criminal Justice?


Criminal Justice can be defined as the system through which crimes and criminals are identified, judged, and punished. According to the book Criminal Justice in America, we can perceive criminal justice as a social system. This system is made up of several interdependent parts with specific goals. “Each of the subsystems of the criminal justice system – police, courts, corrections– has its own goals and needs, but they are also interdependent. When one unit changes its policies, practices, or resources, other units will be affected. [...] For criminal justice to achieve its goals, each part must make its own contribution but also have some contact with at least one other part of the system.”   The system of Criminal Justice is comprised of three parts:

  • Law Enforcement: The front lines of the criminal justice system.
  • The Courts: The part of the criminal justice system where the guilt or innocence of a suspect is assessed at trial.
  • Corrections: The administrative part of the criminal justice system is due to its application of sentences and enforcement of punishments.
These three parts that comprise the criminal justice system work together and sequentially.
Criminal justice systems have existed for centuries in some form or another, and the forms the systems have taken have changed over time. Some acts have always been deemed unacceptable by society, but the punishment that society imparted to those acts and the people who committed them have also mutated with time according to what society considered necessary at the time. 

What can you Do with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice?


Many people do not know what to expect after getting a degree in criminal justice. The career paths are extensive and you will likely have to decide which one is the best for you. There is a wide range of occupations that you can have if you decide to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Here are some of them:  

  • Law Enforcement: One of the characteristics of law enforcement is that they are in charge of protecting citizens from any danger that might be present in their lives. Imprisoning those people who are an issue for the society in which we live. They work for law enforcement agencies at the local, state, or federal levels. Among the different occupations, they can be Police Officers, Deputy U.S., Marshals, DEA agents, FBI agents, ATF agents, Wildfire Warden, and Secret Service agents. 
  • Corrections: These workers are responsible for enforcing prison rules and supervising the activities performed by the prisoners. Within this category, we can find Correctional Officers, Correctional Treatment Specialists, Correction Facilities Managers or Supervisors, Probation officers, and Parole Officers. 
  • Homeland Security: As homeland security, you will be responsible for securing our borders, airports, seaports, and waterways in response to natural disasters or terrorist attacks. You can be a Border Patrol Agent, Transportation Security Officer, Federal  Air Marshal, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, Deportation Officer, or CIA Agent. 
  • Forensics and Investigation: The job of a forensic scientist is to use certain scientific techniques to get evidence from crimes and investigate the results. You can be a Crime Scene Investigator, Fraud investigator, Background Screening Analyst, Criminologist, Detective or Criminal Investigator, Digital Forensic Analyst, Fire Investigator, or Portal Service Investigator. 
  • Private Security: A private security officer is responsible for the well-being of an individual or object. They are in charge of monitoring every step and following closely what the individual is doing. Among the different professions, you can be a Security Guard, Security Coordinator, Bodyguard, or Loss Prevention Manager. 
  • Judiciary Services: They are responsible for preserving the law and making sure that everything stays as it has to. You can be a  Bailiff, Court Administrator, or Court Reporter.
  • Social Justice Services: A career in social services ensures fair and equal treatment for people and makes sure they are well-treated. Within social justice service, you can be a Victims’ Advocate, Child Support or Custody Investigator, Discrimination Investigator, Restorative, Justice Advocate. 
As you can see, a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice opens many career possibilities in several areas so that you can choose the area you are most interested in.

If you want to learn more about criminal justice, you can read the following articles: 


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