Careers in Online Criminal Justice Schools

What Are Some Possible Careers in Criminal Justice?

Possible Job Titles for Associate's or Bachelor's Criminal Justice Degree Holders

There are a lot of different careers within the realm of criminal justice. Generally these careers fall within two distinct categories, either law enforcement or corrections. Take a look at some of the examples provided below and research some of these professions to see which you think would be a good fit for your interests and goals.

    * Airport Security Officer
    * Animal Treatment Investigator
    * Bailiff
    * Body Guard
    * Border Patrol Agent
    * CIA Agent
    * Child Support Agency Worker
    * Community Service Coordinator
    * Compliance Manager
    * Corrections Officer
    * Court Clerk
    * Customs Agent
    * Deportation Officer
    * Deputy Marshal
    * Discrimination Investigator
    * Drug Enforcement Agent

    * Employment Agency Recruiter
    * Environmental Conservation Officer
    * Fish & Game Warden
    * Foreign Service Officer
    * Housing/Tenant Representative
    * Industrial Security Specialist
    * Juvenile Court Counselor
    * Law Clerk
    * Litigation Manager
    * Loss Prevention Specialist
    * Military Officer
    * Naval Investigator
    * Nonprofit Organization Advocate
    * Paralegal

    * Park Ranger
    * Police Officer
    * Postal Service Investigator
    * Pre-trial Services Officer
    * Private Security Officer
    * Probation & Parole Officer
    * Probation Officer
    * Public Safety Officer
    * Secret Service Agent
    * Sheriff
    * Social Worker
    * Teacher
    * U.S. Customs Agent
    * U.S. Marshal
    * Victim Services Specialist
    * Youth Advocate

How does one advance in the field? How many years of experience are needed to move up to higher positions?

You advance in the field of criminal justice much like other professions: working hard and doing a good job consistently. Knowledge and a formal education are also important. It's not unusual to see the upper echelon of a law enforcement agency possessing advanced degrees. Some of the more common graduate degrees are the Master of Public Administration, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, Criminology and other related areas.

Possible Job Titles for Advanced Criminal Justice Degree Holders

    * Attorney
    * Child Welfare Caseworker
    * Contracts Administrator
    * Coroner
    * Corrections Facilities Manager
    * Counter Intelligence Agent
    * Court Administrator
    * Criminal Investigator
    * Criminologist

    * District Attorney
    * FBI Agent
    * Law Librarian
    * Penologist
    * Police Detective
    * Private Investigator
    * Public Defender
    * Substance Abuse Counselor
    * Warden

How do I become a police officer, corrections officer, etc.? What is the hiring process like?

Hiring practices among the various jobs or agencies will vary widely, but most recruits can expect to see the following:
A Standardized Test
You will be administered an exam and be expected to pass and/or score within a certain percentile of test takers. These tests typically cover areas such as basic reading comprehension, logic, writing ability, and mathematics.
An Evaluation of Physical Ability
After a standardized written test, expect a physical fitness and agility test. There is no one standardized test used by all agencies, so know that you will have to maintain good overall physical fitness. As a general rule, you should be in good physical condition to work in the criminal justice field—you may face dangerous situations where your fitness level will have a direct impact upon your or someone else's likelihood of survival.
A Psychological Examination
Most criminal justice jobs will require some type of psychological exam. You may receive a written exam or a personal one-on-one interview with a professional psychologist (or any combination thereof).
An Interview
At some point in time, you will interview for the position. This may be a one-on-one interview or you may be required to sit before a board. Occasionally these interviews can be intimidating and seemingly unfriendly by design. Just be sure to answer questions as truthfully as you can to the best of your ability. If you don't know the answer, don't be ashamed to admit it.
A Polygraph Test
You may be subjected to a polygraph test or what is otherwise known as a lie detector test. Passing one is easy—don't lie, and answer their questions as truthfully as possible.

One of the main reasons people are not hired however usually has to do with their background investigation. This may be your criminal background and/or employment history, information you placed on your background information packet not matching with whatever the investigator discovers.