Criminal Justice Degree Online
“Good, even though it’s sometimes sidetracked, always – repeat, always – triumphs over evil.”
– Batman
Overview
In a society governed by laws, few jobs are as vital as those involving law enforcement and criminal justice. People seeking employment or career advancement in criminal justice require skills in crime prevention and criminal justice science. Because it is one of the fastest growing career fields today, if you lack the time or money to earn a criminal justice degree by going to a traditional college or university, getting a criminal justice degree online may be necessary to enter the field. Online criminal justice degree programs are quickly becoming the most popular online degree programs. A criminal justice degree, whether a criminal justice online degree or traditional one, can give you the edge you need to beat the competition and get a desirable job. And, an online criminal justice degree can be a very convenient way for someone already in the criminal justice field to pursue higher education. Earning your criminal justice degree online may mean the difference between working the beat and owning the streets.
When it comes to online courses, criminal justice is one of the most popular subjects. People who have earned a criminal justice degree online are often employed by the state, county, city, or even federal government, so they are constrained by policies regarding career advancement. Top positions will not be available to those who have not earned a criminal justice degree online or off. Pursuing an online criminal justice degree from an accredited online criminal justice school will be necessary to advance beyond a certain point.
Criminal Justice Degree Online: Career Insights
- Law enforcement is more stressful, tiring and dangerous than other jobs – but more exciting as well. There’s a reason the show is called “COPS,” not “BARISTAS.”
- You won’t get rich but you will experience other rewards (and we don’t mean graft), including a sense of accomplishment, pride, and a better understanding of security for you and, potentially, your family.
- At state and federal law enforcement agencies, there are more candidates than there are available positions.
- Best bet for job openings may be in high-crime urban areas – but don’t expect commensurately high pay.
Police Officers, City, State and Highway Patrol
Like most law enforcement officers, city police have a range of duties from the mundane to the superheroic. Their job is to protect lives and property, exercising authority as necessary and using deadly force when required. A state police officer (also known as a state trooper or a highway patrol officer) typically patrols a state’s highways to prevent violations or infractions. If you ant to be a police officer, getting a criminal justice degree online can prepare you to perform in the line of duty.
Other police employment opportunities include corrections officers, drug enforcement officers and a wide variety of others. A correction officer is a law enforcement officer who works in a correction facility or prison. Correction officers see to it that convicted felons serving time in prison follow the rules of the institution. Drug enforcement officers are in the news frequently due to the high-profile cases to which they may be assigned and the U.S.’s pursuit of drug barons or narcoterroristo. Applicants for special agent jobs with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) must have a college degree and either 1 year of experience conducting criminal investigations, 1 year of graduate school, or have achieved at least a 2.95 grade point average while in college, so earning a criminal justice degree online is often necessary for job hopefuls. DEA special agents undergo 14 weeks of specialized training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Sheriff and Sheriff’s Deputy
The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer for the courts in a county. Typically, a sheriff manages a small department of officers, serving a role similar to that of a police chief. The deputy sheriff is the sheriff’s assistant, providing counsel and taking over in the event that the sheriff cannot discharge his duties. Though a degree is often not required, an online criminal justice degree may play a major role in getting sheriffs and sheriff’s deputies elected or appointed.
Detective
A detective is a law enforcement officer whose job is to gather evidence for use in solving a crime and prosecuting a defendant. Detectives interview witnesses and suspects, examine documents and other verbal records, and may participate in the apprehension of the perpetrator. Detectives perform complex routines and processes and may benefit from attending special classes in forensics offered as parts of an online criminal justice degree program. Undercover officers are usually detectives. Lacking the standard regulations, these officers are able to penetrate areas they would not be likely to in uniform, and gain the confidence of sources who can assist them in solving a case. They don't just hand these jobs out to anyone, though. An accredited criminal justice degree online is a good way to increase your odds.
FBI Agent
The FBI, or Federal Bureau of Investigation, is a division of the United States Department of Justice. The bureau, as it’s called, became internationally known in the 1930’s for catching notorious gangster Al Capone and compiling the evidence to prosecute him (the crime: tax evasion). Today, the FBI focuses on a range of issues, the most prominent of which is homeland security. FBI careers generally require some advanced education in the field of law enforcement and criminal justice such as an online criminal justice degree.
United States Marshals
Marshals and deputy marshals are charged with protecting federal courts and maintaining the integrity of the justice system. They may apprehend criminals and literally bring them to justice – that is, bring them to the jail near the courthouse where their trials are scheduled to start. They also have the honor of seizing or “repossessing” items from a losing defendant to monetary damages. Such work is hardly fun, and getting a criminal justice degree online is often necessary to prepare a Marshal to do what their job requires.
Custom/Private Investigators
The wide and loosely defined category of private investigators refers to people who perform tasks similar to detectives and inspectors but who do not work for local, state or federal government. Private investigators are typically hired to track down a spouse who may be having an affair, or to recover a sum of money. Private investigators often have An online criminal justice degree sometimes gives people with full-time jobs in law enforcement the confidence and ability to pursue their own careers as private investigators..
Think you’d make a good investigator? You should investigate accredited online criminal justice degree programs such as the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice; Bachelor’s degree in Social Work; B.S. in Business Administration (Criminal Justice); Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice; Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MCJ); and Master of Justice Administration. These and other accredited online criminal justice degree programs can help you advance in the competitive criminal justice, law enforcement, homeland security and private security fields.
Click here for a complete list of accredited online Criminal Justice degree programs
Click here for a complete list of accredited Criminal Justice degree programs online
The following accredited schools, colleges and universities offer criminal justice degree programs:
Criminal Justice Related Links
The following links are great resources for criminal justice information and services. Students in online criminal justice degree programs or taking career training in criminal justice science may refer to them as they complete their accredited degree program.
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Statistics and other information from the U.S. Justice Department. An excellent resource for students of criminal justice science or people pursuing online degree programs in criminal justice administration.
Copseek Education and Training
A comprehensive directory of law enforcement and criminal justice resources, this particular section focuses on education and training opportunities in the field of criminal justice science and criminal justice administration.
DetectiveHelp.com
These guys take the investigative work out of finding a detective! Also available are resources and information for investigators and detectives, as well as useful info for students earning their private investigators diploma or certification.
How to Investigate
Providing everything you need to know to conduct an investigation. This site is a great resource for detectives and private investigators, as well as students enrolled in online criminal justice degree programs or private investigation training courses.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS)
NCJRS is a federally funded resource offering justice and substance abuse information to support research, policy, and program development worldwide. This is an excellent source of information for criminology students, enrollees in online criminal justice degree programs, criminal justice administration students and anyone else researching law enforcement or criminology.
PiHome.com
ION's database contains information on over 30,000 private investigation agencies in over 130 countries. This is a great place to start once you've completed your online private investigator training and are ready to locate clients.
United States Department of Justice (DOJ)
The official site of the US Department of Justice. The site provides information about the Justice Department, statements from the Attorney General, and more. These are great resources for criminal justice students, CJ administration students or anyone earning their criminal justice degree online.