My felony was from 25 years ago and I have stayed out of trouble since. Colleges will push anyone to get a degree in anything they can make money off of. Paralegal 10. Thanks for replying. It can be fairly lucrative when used in conjunction with your education, size of the organization you want to work for, and overall time on the job. Can you tell me what kind of jobs i can get with an CJ associates degree?? I waited many years to try for Clemency so they would know without a doubt I am a good law abiding citizen. It’s not that easy to fall back on a criminal justice degree if you have to end up working outside the criminal justice system. But to all you young, fresh college students out there, PLEASE make an INFORMED decision. (Despite using the same tactics and procedures they learned in PTI, or police academy. I just sorted out jumped into criminal justice. I also plan to move forward in the future to obtain my masters. Is this fair? This thread was originally supposed to be talking about getting a degree in Criminology, and for some reason a few ignorant people started talking about (and lumping it in with) criminal justice. to a state or federal one, they’ll more than likely require you to go through their own academy, but it all depends on the needs and requirements set forth by a particular agency. The two fields are complementary, but they take different approaches. I hear things like, “you’re working too hard” or “you’re making us look bad.” It is in my nature to give 100%. It is essential that you have a strict career goal in mind before investing gobs of money into a degree in this arena. I have recently been accepted into George Mason University, and my selected major is Criminology. It can be a looking-glass into the field or agency you want to work for. Probation officer 6. My greatest goal is to be a part of a SWAT team. He can try applying now and take advantage of any paid schooling programs the department might have, or he can get it done and over with now. Criminologists work in a variety of environments, including: Criminologists may work as college professors or as advisers to local, state, or federal legislative bodies. Study anytime, anyplace, anywhere with our Online LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology degree, available as a 3, 4 or 6 years course. It can be very stressful and some of my friends without degrees are getting better pay. Is a criminal justice degree a waste of time? By then I’d probably work maybe 12 years at the most possibly. Though I am calendar 40, my mind and body is 20-30. Unfortunately, I am passed the appropriate age for law enforcement careers. Hoelscher says criminology degrees don’t typically lead to astronomical salaries, so people who pursue a degree … For some who pursue a degree in criminology, interest in the field is driven by curiosity about the criminal justice system and a desire to make it … Good question. University graduates must possess an appealing combination of intelligence and diligence to achieve their degree in good standing. Forensic computer analyst 7. Law Enforcement Agencies may have varying views. What Kind of Jobs Can You Get in Criminal Justice and Criminology? I am retiring from the military and want very much to serve in the CJ sector. Forensic Psychology is a subfield of psychology, and 'Forensic' basically means 'related to the law' so can be anything from evaluating people pre-trial or before parole hearings, assessments within family law, treatment of offenders or victims, working with law enforcement to improve interview techniques (e.g. My current employer decided that they would pay for my schooling, so I took them up on their offer. There’s a big push for four-year college grads, so, those taking an Associate’s degree, may want to think about upgrading to a Bachelor program. Answer for question: Your name: Answers. Hello, I am a former Probation & Parole Officer who obtained an undergraduate and graduate degree in Criminal Justice – and I AM SO GLAD I MADE THE DECISION. I’m not done, yet. Saying that, I would have no shame in applying, and if asked, make it clear how you got into the financial mess and what you’re trying to do to remedy it. Thank you for your time. Particular job areas include in the police, prison and probation systems, community and charity organisations, government agencies and further academic research. Is Criminal Justice a bad path to go if you wish to have a family? Hello Radek, I’m 29 this year. The process will be long, as I’m doing it online one class at a time. I have slight issues with my credit. duty-belt has a tendency of doing some damage to your spinal cord of years of wear too. Since I graduated I’ve applied to the prison systems in Arizona many times. My goal when I finish school is to become either a mitigation specialist or a criminal defense investagater. A criminal justice degree is pointless because everything you need to know is taught to you in the police academy. I know how you feel. Check out some of the most insightful articles on careers, colleges and degree options in the criminal justice field. I want to become a police officer at first then step it up and work for Federal law enforcement agencies like Department of Homeland security, FBI agent etc. p.s never been in trouble and it was my first/last time doing so. CO’s, PO’s, firefighters, etc retire with over a half million dollars compared to teachers, nurses, etc with maybe $150,000.00-$300,000.00. If you like the court system, and want to explore that realm, what type of degree or certificate(s) you’ll need (if any) are dependent on what career path you want. I was a correctional officer for 3yrs and then took a position as a correctional counselor. That should answer your questions. I may just be nervous but if you’re able to give me some insight please feel free to do so. requires you to be a regular uniformed police officer first yes. Criminology careers tend to be more academic in focus than those in criminal justice, though there is some overlap between the two. If you want to be a street cop, probation or corrections officer, then an Associate level degree should more than suffice. ), On a personal level, if it were me, and knowing of the high influx of CJ grads in the past several decades, I’d probably push for a different degree in a similar area like Public Administration or Emergency Management for instance, just as two examples. Forensic psychologists often study criminal behavior and the psychological aspects of criminals in order to identify patterns. The judge gave me counseling and the case will be dismissed in the next court date. This opened so much more to me and I’m trying to find out which degree would be beneficial. Answer #1 | 06/08 2014 18:05 Deffinetley. Criminology degrees in my experience are totally worthless. At your age you would be hard pressed to find a law enforcement position, except in municipalities that have higher age limits, which is rare. After that, it’s on the pass the bar exam. I took my internship at a Juvenile Probation department where only one person even went to college they were grandfathered in tell this is is right when you have people spending hundreds of hard earned cash to get a degree then are pushed off the bus! If you choose a career in Law Enforcement you do not have to work no more than 25 years and guess what, your retirement is at a higher percentage because law enforcement officers are considered “high risk” jobs which earn approximately up to 5% as opposed to the 2.5% (of your base salary) which most careers earn. I’m 35 years old do you think this master will help me to have a job with my degree here in USA? Wrong. So what kind of a degree would be essential for that area? There are many 40+ year olds that are in far better shape and better cognitive abilities than the 20 and 30-somethings. A cj degree is just one of many ways banks and higher educational institutions use to take your money, they are glorified ponzi schemes. 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