The field of criminal justice is a large one with many education levels. There are several different criminal justice careers that you could follow if this field is of interest to you. The three major portions of the criminal justice field include the following:
Law enforcement: If criminal justice careers in law enforcement are your choice, you can select from a number of different organizations involved in making sure that criminal laws are enforced and that lawbreakers are apprehended: the police, who have jurisdiction over local crimes; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has jurisdiction over federal crimes; military police, who have jurisdiction over crimes committed on military bases and by members of the armed services; the Transport Security Administration, which has jurisdiction over crimes committed on airplanes and in airports; the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), which has jurisdiction over drug-related crimes; and the Secret Service, which has jurisdiction over crimes against public officials and those involving counterfeit money. (Note that, in many cases, these areas of jurisdiction overlap.) This list only touches on the many agencies involved in the law enforcement aspect of criminal justice careers.
The courts: Once a suspect has been apprehended and accused of criminal activity, it is the work of the courts to determine the suspect’s guilt or innocence and to determine an appropriate sentence if guilt is established. There are many criminal justice careers available in the court system. The most prominent is judge, but this is generally an appointed or elected position and one that usually goes to an individual who has already established a career in law. Other jobs include bailiff, clerk of courts, and of course lawyers, but lawyer is an entire criminal justice career of its own.
Corrections: Once a suspect has been determined to be guilty by a judge or jury, it is the job of the corrections system to carry out any sentences that have been imposed. This may involve prison or a halfway house, or it may involve remanding the convicted suspect to the supervision of a parole officer, who will see to it, if possible, that they do not commit further crimes. The prison system all by itself offers a number of jobs that are part of criminal justice careers, from guard to warden to prison doctor. Each of these jobs is vital to the functioning of the criminal justice field and offers a way in which you can make an important contribution to society.
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