Careers In Criminal Justice In Alabama
There are three elements to criminal justice enforcement in Alabama: the courts, law enforcement, and corrections. Individuals who wish to make a successful career out of policing and corrections typically need to major in Criminal Justice. Persons with a degree in Criminal Justice can also work with the court system in various capacities.
What Is A Criminal Justice Degree?
Criminal justice is a liberal arts or social sciences college major that exposes students to the rules, tools, and systems agencies use to hold criminals accountable for their actions.
You can specialize in specific areas of study such as:
- Forensic Science
- Cybersecurity
- Homeland security
- Juvenile & Family Justice
- Legal Studies & Case Management (Paralegal)
- Corrections
- Law Enforcement
The Structure of Criminal Justice Programs
As you may have guessed, criminal justice takes a holistic approach to helping students understand law enforcement’s rules, tools, and systems. You will learn and draw insight from history, political science, communications, psychology, and sociology. Your choice of specialization also determines your coursework and how deeply you will learn a subject.
For example, a person who chooses to specialize in law enforcement will have coursework that focuses on how police officers interact with communities, from maintaining public order to arrest, investigation, and incarceration. Students who specialize here will also learn law enforcement ethics, the structure of police organizations, and the administrative operations of law enforcement agencies.
But you don’t have to know your specialization from the onset, even though you know you want a career in criminal justice. There is a place for you as a generalist in criminal justice and corrections.
Besides learning course materials, students of criminal justice also garner field experience in law enforcement through internships with the FBI, local, and state police departments.
Some programs also run simulations where students apply the theories they have learned in the classroom in practical life scenarios that persons in the criminal justice system face daily. Certain programs encourage students to participate in study abroad/exchange programs to learn criminal justice in foreign systems. Students looking to work in federal criminal justice agencies often enroll in these study abroad programs.
Why You Need A Degree In Criminal Justice
It depends. Persons who want to become police officers mostly need a two-year associate degree in Criminal Justice. Alabama also allows suitable candidates with a high school diploma to join the Montgomery Police Academy and take a 480-hour training. However, climbing up the ladder this way is slow and tortuous.
Conversely, students who want to become forensic scientists must obtain a bachelor’s degree and graduate degrees in the field. Regardless of how a person starts in the criminal justice system, earnings differ. Thus, a corrections officer with a high school diploma may eventually make just as much as a corrections officer with a college degree.
Earning a degree in criminal justice, however, makes it easier to switch careers later. For instance, a police officer with a college degree may find it easier to transition to homeland security or another law enforcement agency than an officer with a high school diploma.
Likewise, students with a criminal justice degree can pursue careers as paralegals, mediators, probation officers, police officers or detectives, legislators, or lobbyists. It is also possible to venture into forensic psychology and correctional counseling.
Choosing A Criminal Justice Program
If you decide that getting a degree in criminal justice is indeed worth it, you must choose the best-fit program for you. All criminal justice programs have similar coursework and teach students about the American legal system.
However, the best programs have the infrastructure and faculty to teach you the necessary soft skills in analytics, problem-solving, communication, and research that make you a well-rounded student. Going to a good program may also land you an internship spot and build the connections instrumental to your career development.