Criminal Justice Careers: Salary & Duties
by Genevieve M. Blaber
Are you interested in keeping the world a safe and orderly place to live? Then you might want to check out a criminal justice program where you can learn what it takes to enter a criminal justice career and help the legal system carry out its various duties and obligations. From policing the streets to ruling on court cases, the criminal justice field has something to offer most anyone.
What do you do in criminal justice?
The field of criminal justice is wide and varied, allowing almost anyone to find the career of their dreams. In fact, it's hard to sum up just what you'll do in a criminal justice career because there are so many different opportunities. For those who are interested in the legal aspects of criminal justice, they'll want a career in the courtroom where they can either directly affect the outcome of a trial by either testifying or ruling on it, or just play a party to the amazing events that occur in one with a career like court reporting.
For people who like more physically demanding criminal justice careers, there are professions like police officer, detective, and court officer. These jobs require men and women who can live up to certain physical demands while helping to keep the peace of the streets and/or courtroom.
But criminal justice careers don't end on the streets or in the courtroom. Lawyers and judges require a number of supporting players in order to get their job done. For example, the paralegal -- while not a must in every court case -- is a vital member of any lawyer's team, as they assist lawyers in a variety of ways with the help of their law training and education.
How much do you get paid in criminal justice and what kinds of criminal justice jobs can I get?
What you get paid for working in criminal justice largely depends upon what kind of career you wish to pursue. For example, if you're interested in the day-to-day court proceedings of the legal system there are a number of different positions that you might be interested in. You could go the law school route and become a lawyer or eventually a judge, or attend an accredited criminal justice program for a more low-key courtroom position such as court reporter or paralegal. The median annual salary for lawyers was $102,470 as of 2006, and for judges it was $101,690. Court reporters and paralegals, meanwhile, earned $45,610 and $43,040 respectively, as of 2006.
However, if you're interested in the more hands-on, nitty gritty aspect of criminal justice, then you might enjoy a career as a police officer or detective. In general, these careers will require a bachelor's degree and passing a variety of physical, mental, and psychological tests. As of 2006, the median annual earnings for police officers was $47,460. Detectives, on the other hand, earned a median annual salary of $58,260.
What do you do in criminal justice?
The field of criminal justice is wide and varied, allowing almost anyone to find the career of their dreams. In fact, it's hard to sum up just what you'll do in a criminal justice career because there are so many different opportunities. For those who are interested in the legal aspects of criminal justice, they'll want a career in the courtroom where they can either directly affect the outcome of a trial by either testifying or ruling on it, or just play a party to the amazing events that occur in one with a career like court reporting.
For people who like more physically demanding criminal justice careers, there are professions like police officer, detective, and court officer. These jobs require men and women who can live up to certain physical demands while helping to keep the peace of the streets and/or courtroom.
But criminal justice careers don't end on the streets or in the courtroom. Lawyers and judges require a number of supporting players in order to get their job done. For example, the paralegal -- while not a must in every court case -- is a vital member of any lawyer's team, as they assist lawyers in a variety of ways with the help of their law training and education.
How much do you get paid in criminal justice and what kinds of criminal justice jobs can I get?
What you get paid for working in criminal justice largely depends upon what kind of career you wish to pursue. For example, if you're interested in the day-to-day court proceedings of the legal system there are a number of different positions that you might be interested in. You could go the law school route and become a lawyer or eventually a judge, or attend an accredited criminal justice program for a more low-key courtroom position such as court reporter or paralegal. The median annual salary for lawyers was $102,470 as of 2006, and for judges it was $101,690. Court reporters and paralegals, meanwhile, earned $45,610 and $43,040 respectively, as of 2006.
However, if you're interested in the more hands-on, nitty gritty aspect of criminal justice, then you might enjoy a career as a police officer or detective. In general, these careers will require a bachelor's degree and passing a variety of physical, mental, and psychological tests. As of 2006, the median annual earnings for police officers was $47,460. Detectives, on the other hand, earned a median annual salary of $58,260.
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