Pub In The Park

As the economy slowly starts to rebound, many people are entertaining the idea of changing careers. Some are being forced into this choice due to layoffs and the dearth of jobs in some industries. Others are simply taking advantage of severance packages to consider changing to a field that will provide them with a more fulfilling and satisfying career. Many are looking to the field of criminal justice as a possible second — or third — career.

There are a wide variety of criminal justice careers to choose from. It is one of the few industries that is experiencing growth and most careers in this field offer challenging and rewarding positions with the opportunity for future advancement. The one downside is that most criminal justice careers require specialized education. This can range from obtaining a masters degree to attending a criminal justice program in a community college. Narrowing career options down is the first step in identifying the education required.

Basic criminal justice jobs are associated with law enforcement and the court system. These range from police officers and detectives to lawyers and court reporters. There are also specialized scientific and technological support positions such as crime scene investigator , forensics specialist, computer forensics and crime lab technicians. Federal jobs can include working as FBI, CIA, or customs agents as well as a air marshal or as part of homeland security and border patrol. Less obvious jobs that fall in the realm of criminal justice include game wardens, IRS agents, security guards and probation officers and counselors.