Criminal Justice & Legal Careers

Criminal Justice & Legal Careers & Schools
In today’s unstable economy many people are changing careers, returning to school, and seeking additional opportunities. Some are attending college with the expectation of preparing themselves for a successful career. If you have a passion for improving your community, a criminal justice career can provide you with a platform to do so. With a criminal justice or legal degree or diploma, you can go enter a wide range of rewarding careers.

Some choices of criminal justice jobs & careers available after receiving a criminal justice or legal education are:

• Court Reporter
• Judge
• Law Clerk
• Lawyer
• Legal
• Legal Assistant
• Mediator
• Paralegal
• Law Enforcement
• The Corrections System
• Patrol Officers
• Probation / Parole Officers
• Correctional Officers
• Special Agents
• Detectives
• Undercover Officers

What can training in legal or criminal justice do for me?
Training from the right criminal justice or legal program can help transform your dream of serving your community into reality. Education is usually the first and most important step you take in preparation for an exciting and rewarding career in the criminal justice and legal fields. A solid education provides the foundation you need to succeed and will prepare you for an entry-level position as well as promotions.

What is the advantage of a legal career?
Lawyers are some of the highest paid workers in today’s economy with average salaries in excess of $100,000 per year. Many people pursue careers as attorneys so adequate preparation is necessary to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Paralegals perform many of the same services as lawyers. In fact, while the attorney is ultimately responsible for the legal services provided, paralegals assist in every aspect of the work and are an invaluable part of the legal process. Similarly, law clerks assist attorneys by researching and preparing legal documents. Clerks may also meet with clients or assist lawyers and judges in court. Much faster-than-average employment growth is predicted for both paralegals and law clerks and individuals with formal training will have a significant advantage over their competition.

What would a career as a judge look like?
Judges are in charge of trials and make sure that they are fair. They settle differences between lawyers, read the law to decide what lawyers can and can't do, instruct juries, and write about their decisions and legal opinions. Being a judge is a very prestigious and important position in our society. The majority of judges have worked as attorneys and Federal and State judges usually are required to have worked as lawyers. 

What do court reporters and mediators do?
Court reporters and mediators are an integral part of the criminal justice and legal field. More and more companies and government entities are leaning towards mediation and arbitration as the costs are significantly lower than litigation. This provides an excellent outlook for those individuals entering the legal and criminal justice professions. Job prospects are predicted to be excellent, especially for those with certification as increased demand will spur employment growth.