There is a wide scope of employment options for students who are interested in the field of criminal justice. Acquiring an associate, bacherlor’s or a master’s degree in criminal justice is the first step to enter into this sector. Today, you can even find specialization courses in many colleges. Descriptions of criminal justice careers along with their salaries are given below.
Career in Federal Law Enforcement
Customs Agents: Collection of customs and taxes is the major duty of customs agents. It is their responsibility to make sure correct taxes are being paid for all products and nothing illegal is being brought. The mean salary of customs agents range from $23,000-$45,000.
ATF Agents: ATF Agents controls the possession and abuse of firearms, tobacco and alcohol. When these agents suspect anything illegal being held, then they can even conduct raids. They earn from $23,000-$45,000.
DEA Agents: The job of a DEA agent is highly specialized. Controlling the illegal trafficking of drugs is the major responsibilities of these agents. A DEA agent makes between $35,000-$65,000.
US Marshall: It is the job of a US Marshall to make sure no harm is done to people during criminal proceedings. This job is considered most dangerous in this field. A US Marshall is paid in between $27,000-$50,000.
FBI Agent: We all know more or less about the jobs of FBI agents. They investigate different illegal activities. The salary of FBI agents starts from $50,000.
Careers in Courts
Probation Officer: It is the most prominent career in the field. A probation officer makes sure a criminal stays away from any form of crimes after being released on parole. After being released from jail, the person may need to report to the probation officer on a regular basis. The average salary of a probation officer is $37,959.
Court Clerk: The administrative works in the court are handled by the Court clerk. He maintains and files all the documents related to court proceedings. Preparation of minutes for the case is also the job of court clerk. The salary of court clerk is about $27,000.
Bailiff: The Bailiff has a simple job of monitoring the members of the jury, ensuring the proceedings are not interrupted and maintaining order in the courtroom. For their work, bailiffs are paid $25,000.
Careers in Police/Law Enforcement
Crime scene investigation department, forensic department and police department are three fields for careers in police or law enforcement. A crime scene investigator makes in between $20,000 to $50,000. Police officers are paid about $44,560 and the average salary of forensic scientists is about $30,000.
Careers in Legal Practice
Students can also become paralegals and lawyers after completing their criminal justice programs. The jobs of these professionals are considered most basic in this field. The mean salary of paralegals is about $52,979. On the other hand a lawyer can earn on the basis of their clients and experience, which makes their profession one of the highest earning jobs in the world.
So, these are the career options available in the field of criminal justice. This proves there are lots of opportunities for students who want to have a career in this area.
About the Author: Scott Garcia is a freelance writer and writes frequently on criminal justice degree online. So, read more of his articles and be ready to enter in this field.