 Forensic science technicians
investigate crimes by collecting and analyzing physical evidence. Often, they specialize in areas such as DNA analysis or firearm examination, performing tests on weapons or substances such as fiber, hair, tissue, or body fluids to determine significance to the investigation. They also prepare reports to document their findings and the laboratory techniques used, and may provide information and expert opinion to investigators. When criminal cases come to trial, forensic science technicians often provide testimony, as expert witnesses, on specific laboratory findings by identifying and classifying substances, materials, and other evidence collected at the crime scene.
Judges, magistrates, and other judicial workers
apply the law and oversee the legal process in courts according to local, State, and Federal statutes. They preside over cases concerning every aspect of society, from traffic offenses, to disputes over the management of professional sports, to issues concerning the rights of huge corporations, to questions over disconnecting life-support equipment connected to terminally ill persons. All judicial workers must ensure that trials and hearings are conducted fairly and that the court administers justice in a manner which safeguards the legal rights of all parties involved.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents
are the Government’s principal investigators, responsible for investigating violations of more than 260 statutes and conducting sensitive national security investigations. Agents may conduct surveillance, monitor court-authorized wiretaps, examine business records, investigate white-collar crime, track the interstate movement of stolen property, collect evidence of espionage activities, or participate in sensitive undercover assignments. The FBI investigates organized crime, public corruption, financial crime, fraud against the government, bribery, copyright infringement, civil rights violations, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, air piracy, terrorism, espionage, interstate criminal activity, drug trafficking, and other violations of Federal statutes
Lawyers, also called attorneys
act as both advocates and advisors in our society. As advocates, they represent one of the parties in criminal and civil trials by presenting evidence and arguing in court to support their client. As advisors, lawyers counsel their clients concerning their legal rights and obligations and suggest particular courses of action in business and personal matters. Whether acting as an advocate or an advisor, all attorneys research the intent of laws and judicial decisions and apply the law to the specific circumstances faced by their client.
Uniformed police officers
who work in municipal police departments of various sizes, small communities, and rural areas have general law enforcement duties including maintaining regular patrols and responding to calls for service. They may direct traffic at the scene of a fire, investigate a burglary, or give first aid to an accident victim. In large police departments, officers usually are assigned to a specific type of duty. Many urban police agencies are becoming more involved in community policing—a practice in which an officer builds relationships with the citizens of local neighborhoods and mobilizes the public to help fight crime.
Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs
enforce the law on the county level. Sheriffs are usually elected to their posts and perform duties similar to those of a local or county police chief. Sheriffs’ departments tend to be relatively small, most having fewer than 25 sworn officers. A deputy sheriff in a large agency will have law enforcement duties similar to those of officers in urban police departments. Police and sheriffs’ deputies who provide security in city and county courts are sometimes called bailiffs.
State police officers
(sometimes called State troopers or highway patrol officers) arrest criminals Statewide and patrol highways to enforce motor vehicle laws and regulations. Uniformed officers are best known for issuing traffic citations to motorists who violate the law. At the scene of accidents, they may direct traffic, give first aid, and call for emergency equipment. They also write reports used to determine the cause of the accident. State police officers are frequently called upon to render assistance to other law enforcement agencies, especially those in rural areas or small towns.
U.S. marshals and deputy marshals
protect the Federal courts and ensure the effective operation of the judicial system. They provide protection for the Federal judiciary, transport Federal prisoners, protect Federal witnesses, and manage assets seized from criminal enterprises. They enjoy the widest jurisdiction of any Federal law enforcement agency and are involved to some degree in nearly all Federal law enforcement efforts. In addition, U.S. marshals pursue and arrest Federal fugitives.
U.S. Secret Service special agents
protect the President, Vice President, and their immediate families; Presidential candidates; former Presidents; and foreign dignitaries visiting the United States. Secret Service agents also investigate counterfeiting, forgery of Government checks or bonds, and fraudulent use of credit cards.
Administrative law judges
Sometimes called hearing officers or adjudicators, are employed by government agencies to make determinations for administrative agencies. These judges make decisions, for example, on a person’s eligibility for various Social Security or worker’s compensation benefits, on protection of the environment, on the enforcement of health and safety regulations, on employment discrimination, and on compliance with economic regulatory requirements.
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Earnings Potential
 Federal jobs start at about $31,000, the national average, although more selective agencies like the U.S. Postal Inspectors and U.S. Marshals may start you out at $39,000 or more. State jobs, on average, start at about $25,000 but may vary as much as 3,000 to 5,000 either way. County jobs, on average, start at about $20,000 and don't tend to vary as much although there is some disparity between rich and poor counties. City jobs, likewise, vary depending upon the city, but the average starting pay is anywhere between $20,000 and $30,000, mostly because there are more poor than rich cities. There has been a national movement in the last year or so to get municipal entry levels up to $23,000, but these agencies have a tendency to start you out low, then give you a big raise after the first year or two, where you stay salary-wise until about five years later when you are eligible for promotion thru seniority. It is possible to make six figures a year as police chief in one of the major metropolitan police departments.
 Jobs in the court sector, like probation and parole, have salaries that vary widely. Entry level pay ranges from $22,000 to $32,000, but federal positions range from $27,000 to $49,000 (some of the highest paid starting salaries in criminal justice are in federal probation), depending upon experience. Pre-employment in corrections or investigative work is usually the best preparation besides having a college degree. Raises are not that common, but when they happen, they are across the board and usually quite large. Don't forget that the permanent hiring of college interns takes place quite often in the judiciary branch of the criminal justice system.
 Correctional pay varies tremendously from state-to-state. The national average is $19,000 with places like Arkansas starting as low as $13,000 and places like New York and New Jersey starting at $30,000 and up. Federal corrections approximates the pay of top states, and has better benefits. In corrections, you will most likely receive regular salary increases every year along with easy-to-get merit raises until you are making about $35,000 or more by your fifth year. Promotion is also much more rapid in this sector due to turnover.
What Career Opportunities does Criminal Justice Offer?
Wondering what kind of careers there are in the Criminal Justice arena? After you check out the sampling below, you have to check out our complete list of careers that you can enjoy with a degree in Criminal Justice. Go now
What schools offer Criminal Justice programs?
Different schools have different approaches to the Criminal Justice education. If you are interested in Criminal Justice, please contact the universities listed in our database for information.
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