Criminal Justice Careers
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Career Field | Job Description | Required Education | Potential Salary | Opportunities |
Police officers and Investigators: | Patrols, protects and investigates crime. | Applicants usually must have at least a high school education, and some departments require 1 or 2 years of college coursework or, in some cases, a college degree.
| Police and sheriff’s patrol officers had median annual earnings of $47,460. | Job opportunities in most local police departments will be excellent for qualified individuals, while competition is expected for jobs in State and Federal agencies.
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Corrections Officers | Correctional officers (detention officers) are responsible for overseeing individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve time in a jail, reformatory, or penitentiary. | A high school diploma or graduation equivalency degree is required by all employers. Some State and local corrections agencies require some college credits.
| Median annual earnings of correctional officers and jailers were $35,760 | Job opportunities are expected to be excellent, due to population growth and rising rates of incarceration.
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Parole and Probation officers and Community Corrections Treatment Specialists | Probation and Parole officers supervise people who have been placed on probation. Correctional treatment specialists counsel offenders and create rehabilitation plans for them to follow when they are no longer in prison or on parole.
| Qualifications vary by agency, but a bachelor’s degree is often required.
| Median annual earnings of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists were $42,500.
| Job opportunities are expected to be excellent, due to growth, replacement needs, and because a large number of these workers are expected to retire.
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Private Detectives and Investigators | Private detectives and investigators assist individuals, businesses, and attorneys by finding and analyzing information. | Most private detectives and investigators have some college education and previous experience in investigative work | Median annual earnings of salaried private detectives and investigators were $33,750.
| Keen competition is expected for most jobs because private detective and investigator careers attract many qualified people. Excellent opportunities for qualified computer forensic investigators.
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Private Security | Security guards or officers patrol and inspect property to protect against fire, theft, vandalism, terrorism, and illegal activity. These workers protect their employer’s investment, enforce laws on the property, and deter criminal activity and other problems. | Generally, there are no specific education requirements for security guards, but employers usually prefer to fill armed guard positions with people who have at least a high school diploma.
| Median annual wage-and-salary earnings of security guards were $21,530 | Opportunities for security guards should be favorable |
Court Reporters and Clerks: | Reporters are responsible for ensuring a complete, accurate, and secure legal record. In addition to preparing and protecting the legal record, court reporters and/or clerks assist judges and trial attorneys in a variety of ways, such as organizing and searching for information in the official record or making suggestions to judges and attorneys regarding courtroom administration and procedure | The amount of training required to varies by specialization and by State.
| Wage and salary court reporters had median annual earnings of $45,610 in May 2006. Median annual earnings of legal secretaries and administrative assistants were $38,190 | Job prospects are expected to be excellent.
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