There are many careers in the criminal justice field ranging from private companies, local municipalities to state, federal and international agencies. Our outlook on protection and security has changed and as a result, provides for many more opportunities and careers in this field. Private investigators, corrections and police officers, Homeland Security and federal agents are all thought of immediately but there are other careers in criminal justice that are available with this type of degree.

The criminal justice system has done a better job focusing on victims of crimes in recent years rather than on just the criminal offender. Law enforcement now directs resources to preventative programs as well. Investigative units also include support departments such as crime scene investigators; often agencies now run their own labs in-house.

These days, many local law enforcment agencies require at least an Associate's Degree; often a Bachelor's Degree is extremely appealing. Many agencies now require their officers who want to promote to higher ranks to have a Master's Degree. Some of the highly sought after local careers in Criminal Justice are:

• Park police or park rangers
• County Sheriff's Departments
• School police
• Traffic Safety
• Juvenile centers

Although each state has a different structure or careers in Criminal Justice, entry to many state law enforcement careers is possible with a Criminal Justice degree:

• State police
• State corrections officers
• State crime commissions
• Crime labs and forensics labs
• Specialized agencies such as alcohol control or narcotics
• State attorney general offices

Federal agencies often train their officers without having previous law enforcement experience; with a specialized education, these agencies are able to hire candidates based on other skills and train them to enforce federal laws. Previous law enforcement experience, can be beneficial to a candidate with a federal agency as they are already somewhat familiar with the criminal justice system.

• Department of Homeland Security
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Immigration and Naturalization Service

Other popular careers in criminal justice are forensic expert, paralegals, and law clerks.

It is generally recognized that law enforcement officers must possess the following skills:

• Strong verbal and written skills
• Physically strong and healthy, including good vision, hearing
• Good observation skills, attention to detail
• Ability to make quick decisions based on the situation and information at hand

Often part of the application process to a law enforcement agency involves a extensive application, a written exam, physical fitness test, psychological tests, drug test, background check, multiple interviews and successful completion of an academy. Many academies are often styled after military boot camps, testing the recruits' physical stamina, knowledge of laws they will enforce, procedures, self-defense, communication skills, weapons training and more.

Differing careers in criminal justice will demand other skills. While not mandated for criminal justice careers, background knowledge in computers, weapons, and accounting will prove beneficial. Being fluent in foreign languages is a bonus that can increase your versatility in the field.

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