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The Benefits of an Online Criminal Justice Degree
Obtaining a degree in criminal justice will not only benefit an individual for what can be a profitable and extremely rewarding career, it also benefits the hundreds of people that will ultimately receive their help during the life of their career. It has been said that for every drug dealer or drunk driver that a police officer gets off the street, four people's lives will be saved. With those kinds of statistics, it's easy to see why many individuals are choosing to further their education in the field of criminal justice. Who wouldn't want to go to bed at night and the last thought on your mind would be, "I saved four people's lives today." For this reason and not to mention television shows like Law and Order and CSI , the field of criminal justice is becoming very popular. A Career in Criminal JusiceCareers in criminal justice contain several sub-fields with three main career paths. An individual may pursue jobs in law enforcement with a wide variety of possibilities, or choose to follow one of the many choices of criminal justice careers within the court system or corrections facilities. Either way, an associate's degree will be required by most employers within those fields and some positions will require a bachelor's degree or even a master's degree. If you were to consider a law enforcement career, you could become a criminal justice professional within a local, city or state police department or a private security company. One could also find employment in a federal agency. In law enforcement, you may choose to pursue a position as an ATF agent. This is an individual who enforces laws with regard to alcohol, tobacco and firearms. Alternately, an individual may favor a career in crime scene investigations. In this position, your main job function would be securing physical evidence at crime scenes. Criminal Justice in the Court SystemWithin the court system, a criminal justice degree holder may wish to find employment as a bailiff. This is more of an entry level criminal justice position and involves a wide range of responsibilities within the courtroom experience, such as swearing in witnesses before they testify, keeping order and security in the courtroom, escorting jury members to their hotels and restaurants when needed, declaring the entry of a judge into the courtroom and announcing the courtroom rules. If you possess a strong sense of justice when it comes to obeying rules and regulations, you might be interested in a criminal justice career as a compliance officer or inspector. The main responsibility of a compliance officer is to investigate complaints regarding the violation of rules with regard to the environment, licensing issues or worker's rights. Criminal Justice Carrer in CorrectionsAnother criminal justice career possibility that exists in the system of corrections is that of becoming a parole or probation officer. This job might appeal to you if you enjoy helping people make a better life for themselves. This is because one of the main responsibilities of a probation officer is to oversee the transition of a parolee into a normal productive life routine. It is a very important job that helps to guarantee the security of the public while law offenders are attempting to change their life course. You will be working closely with social services in helping the individual find housing, a job and obeying the requirements of the their parole. The list of criminal justice careers options goes on an on. Some very exciting possibilities are that of CIA agents, FBI agents, Secret Service agents, Private Investigators, Police Officers, Body Guards and becoming a member of the Coast Guard. It is also very exciting to learn that most of the criminal justice degrees needed to be successful in these fields can be obtained through online courses. Online Criminal Justice DegreesThe benefits of online training and degree education is becoming widely known and accepted. Many accredited colleges and universities nationwide now offer online classes and degrees as a standard policy. The convenience of studying and testing when your schedule allows the time for it, is one of the main reasons for its success. With online courses, you never to worry about whether or not a particular class will be cancelled due to a low number of registrations. Bachelor's of Arts in Criminal JusticeTo obtain a Bachelor's of Arts in Criminal Justice, most schools offer a similar venue of core curriculum. The first main core subject will be something like Criminal Justice Administration or Introduction to Criminal Justice and will consist of a basic study of criminal law and the criminal justice system in the US. The structure and function of police work, court procedure and correctional activity will be emphasized. The next course of online study for a criminal justice degree would include Criminal Justice Research Methods or Criminal Justice Issues, consisting of contemporary debates of criminal justice, assessment of the criminal justice system, researching and evaluating criminal justice theories and programs and analyzing criminal justice policies. In addition to these classes, your online degree program will more than likely include a complete study of police activity and functions in courses entitled something close to Police in Society or US Law Enforcement. You will be studying the history of traditional police structure, analyzing their roles and behavior and you will be given the chance to critique past problems in the police departments and current trends within law enforcement agencies. As you study and assess managerial policies, you will be able to apply them to law enforcement organizations. Criminology and Other Criminal Justice CoursesOther courses included in the bachelor's degree program for criminal justice will include a study of the many different types of criminal behavior in a course entitled Criminology. You will be learning about victimology such as sexual crimes, child abuse and battered women along with crimes committed against and by minorities, drug crimes, and white collar crimes. Extensive research and study into social policy and the legal approach to crimes will be covered also. Final courses needed to obtain a Bachelor's of Arts in Criminal Justice will probably consist of courses like Ethics in Criminal Justice, the Criminal Legal Process and Corrections and Incarcerations. These courses will be a thorough study about the process and proper procedures of arresting criminals, the legal steps of processing a violator through the system and the jail and prison experience. Master's Degree in Criminal JusticeA Master's Degree in Criminal Justice is also available for those wishing to pursue careers as a Paralegal, Attorney, or Forensic Psychologist. With huge growth in the criminal justice field, the opportunities are endless. Take a moment and think about what aspect of criminal justice you might enjoy the most and then do some research to discover how much education you will need to reach that goal. Take the steps necessary to train and prepare yourself for this very exciting career and reap the rewards waiting for you. Resources: The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences |
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