Recently, we wrote about what criminal justice professionals do and why you should consider a degree in the field, here we’ll explore what makes criminal justice so important in the first place.
As part of this discussion, we’ll cover what criminal justice entails, how it’s used in modern society, and why you should consider becoming a criminal justice professional.
After you’ve learned everything you need to know about the important role that criminal justice plays in society, fill out ourinformation request formto receive additional details about CSU Global’s 100%online Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, or if you’re ready to get started,submit your applicationtoday.
What is Criminal Justice & Why Are Criminal Justice Professionals So Important?
Criminal justice refers to the system of laws that focuses on preventing, deterring, and dealing with crime.
The criminal justice system is tasked with keeping us safe and protecting our property, which involves many moving pieces.
Some of the most important organizational components that make up this massive system include law enforcement agencies, courts, and the corrections department.
And criminal justice professionals are the individuals who develop the processes and uphold the laws that ensure communities and large jurisdictions remain safe places to live.
Criminal justice professionals focus on balancing protection with civil liberties and ensuring those who are working to develop the laws guiding society have a deep understanding of the ethical issues and controversial policies faced by the criminal justice system.
Where Do Criminal Justice Professionals Work?
There are many different areas of criminal justice you can specialize in after earning an online Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, including roles/areas like:
- Law enforcement
- Social work
- Corporate security
- Executive protection
- Military personnel
- Research
- Investigations
- Public- and private-sector agencies
- Political science
- Global security specialist
- Government contractor
As you can see, getting a bachelor’s degree will open many doors for you, providing you with more options than starting your career without a degree.
What Do Criminal Justice Professionals Actually Do?
Working to protect the public by enforcing laws and holding offenders accountable, criminal justice professionals take on a wide variety of responsibilities, including working with prosecutors to collect and analyze evidence and testifying in court proceedings.
Some common tasks required of criminal justice professionals include:
- Performing research, writing up reports, and assisting attorneys in a variety of important tasks
- Developing detailed processes and assist in the development of legislation to create a functioning criminal justice system
- Assisting in the rehabilitation of individuals released from prison, helping to integrate their lives back into modern society
- Collecting, organizing, and analyzing evidence for active court cases
As you might imagine, criminal justice work can get quite complex, and while that may scare some individuals away from the field, there are some excellent reasons to consider getting into the industry.
Should You Pursue a Career in Criminal Justice?
This depends on your interests, but if you’re interested in contributing to society, and you want to improve the laws and regulations used to govern society, then criminal justice could be the perfect role for you.
If that doesn’t seem compelling enough, here are three excellent reasons to consider launching a career in criminal justice:
- Demand for criminal justice professionals is projected to continue growing over the next several years.
- Criminal justice is an excellent career for anyone who wants to play an important role in public service.
- Top positions in criminal justice provide great salaries, making it an excellent field for launching a lifelong career.
Let’s look at each of these reasons in additional detail:
Demand for Criminal Justice Professionals is Projected to Continue Growing
According to the BLS, demand for criminal justice jobs is projected to keep growing steadily over the next decade.
BLS projects that the employment rates for several of the most popular jobs in criminal justice will rise between 2020 and 2030, making it an excellent time to get into the industry.
Here are the BLS’s growth expectations for several of the field’s top jobs:
- Police & Detectives- 3% projected growth.
- Private Detectives and Investigators- 6% projected growth.
- Emergency Management Directors- 6% projected growth.
- Forensic Science Technicians- 11% projected growth.
- Social Workers- 9% projected growth.
Knowing that the criminal justice field is projected to continue growing, you can be confident that the demand for criminal justice skills and abilities will remain strong, making it much more likely that you’ll be able to find a good role in the industry after you’ve completed your training and earned the proper educational credentials.
Rising demand also signals that it’s a good time to get into the industry, as growth should stimulate not just new entry-level positions, but also an increase in more important and senior-level roles.
Criminal Justice Professionals Are Critical to a Properly Functioning Society
If you’re interested in launching a fulfilling, lifelong career, then you should consider getting into the field of criminal justice.
People interested in making a positive impact on society would be well-suited for careers as criminal justice professionals, who uphold the laws, regulations, and processes that guide society.
As part of their vital role, a criminal justice professional may perform any of the following tasks:
- Developing organizational policies.
- Advising on crisis responses.
- Providing law updates.
- Managing records.
If the idea of performing these sorts of critical functions appeals to you, then criminal justice could be the right field for you.
Criminal Justice Professionals Have Excellent Earnings Potential
Skilled criminal justice professionals are capable of earning excellent salaries, with the BLS reporting excellent compensation for some of the most common criminal justice positions, including:
- Private Detectives and Investigators -2021 Median Pay: $59,380
- Probation Officer & Correctional Treatment Specialists -2021 Median Pay: $60,250
- Forensic Science Technicians -2021 Median Pay: $61,930
- Social Workers -2021 Median Pay: $50,390
Keep in mind that this is just a small list of some of the more popular job titles for criminal justice professionals and that getting your degree in the field and breaking into the industry could open up thousands of different career opportunities.
No matter what specific role you end up choosing to pursue, the important thing to remember is that if income potential matters to you, you’ll have a good chance of enjoying a lucrative career in this space should you choose to stick with it.
How To Launch Your Criminal Justice Career
While you can get an entry-level role in criminal justice without first completing a degree program, it will be easier to land a good job in the field if you complete a criminal justice degree program.
Why? Because the best way to develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities you’ll need to become a criminal justice professional is to study the industry in a serious academic setting, like CSU Global’sonline B.S. in Criminal Justice program.
Our 100% online criminal justice program provides all the training, knowledge, and experience you’ll need to launch a successful, lifelong career as a criminal justice professional.
Furthermore, choosing to study with us ensures that you’ll graduate with a degree that’s respected by the criminal justice hiring managers you’ll need to impress when it comes to looking for a job in this competitive industry.
Should You Get Your Criminal Justice Degree Online?
Yes, you can and should consider getting your degree in criminal justice online at CSU Global.
Our accelerated criminal justice degree program was designed to be completed entirely online, providing our students with far more flexibility and freedom than competing, traditional, in-person programs.
Accordingly, studying online with us will make it far easier to juggle your educational pursuits with other existing work and family responsibilities, as our program offers several important conveniences, including:
- No requirements to attend classes at set times or locations.
- Monthly class starts.
- Accelerated, eight-week courses.
If you’re looking for a streamlined, flexible degree program that will interfere as little as possible with your existing responsibilities, then you should think about studying with CSU Global.
Why Should You Pick CSU Global’s Online Criminal Justice Program?
Our online B.S. in Criminal Justice program is an excellent choice for anyone looking to launch a lifelong career in this competitive, yet exciting field.
This program isregionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and it was designed to provide you with industry-relevant, workplace-related training and skills.
All of our criminal justice courses are taught by faculty who have recent, real-world experience in the field, and our programs are designed to provide you with relevant, workplace-related knowledge and skills.
We also help students get their careers off the ground by expanding their professional networks thanks to our relationships with important criminal justice agencies and organizations, including:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM)
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
- Coalition Against Insurance Fraud (CAIF)
- Alpha Phi Sigma Honors Society
Our Bachelor’s of Criminal Justice program is also extremely well respected, having each earned top rankings in their category, including:
- A #1 ranking on The 10 Best Online Bachelor's in Criminal Justice Degree Programs fromOnline Course Report.
- A #1 ranking on Top 10 Cheap Online Law Enforcement Degree Programs fromBest Value Schools.
- A #3 ranking on Top 10 Forensic Science Bachelor's Degree Programs 2020 fromCriminal Justice Degree Hub.
CSU Global itself is also regarded as an industry leader in higher education, having recently won several important awards, including:
- A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges & Schools in Colorado fromBest Accredited Colleges.
- A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges in Colorado fromBest Colleges.
- A #10 ranking for Best Online Colleges for ROI fromOnlineU.
And to save you both time and money, we offercompetitive tuition ratesand aTuition Guaranteethat promises your affordable tuition won’t increase between enrollment and graduation.
To get additional details about our fully-accreditedonline Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justiceplease give us a call at (800) 462-7845, or fill out ourInformation Request Form.
Ready to get started today?Apply now!