21 Top Jobs You Can Land with a Criminal Justice Degree University of Cincinnati

In many cases, the result is a simple accident or fault in an electrical system or appliance. In others, however, the cause is deliberate arson and leads to criminal proceedings. Without the scientific investigation of a fire investigator, these crimes might never be solved. The other thing that corrections does, maybe not in the very beginning, but at some point in time on the path as you build your education and career, you are exposed to stuff that shapes your worldview.

Contact your elected representatives at the local and national level to advocate for change. Nonprofit organizations working with at-risk or justice involved populations and working for social justice or reform are dependent upon grants and donations to be financially viable. Connect with at-risk youth through programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters. Wrongful convictions… occur when innocent people are sentenced for crimes they did not commit. Sentencing reform… relates to advocacy and legislative activities addressing sentencing practices that are discriminatory or overly punitive.

They are 55% of prisoners serving drug conviction and 48% of those with “virtual” life sentences. Criminal justice reform can mean a lot of things, no matter which side of the issue you stand. Get a detailed look at the criminal justice system in America, discover the primary challenges and potential solutions, and learn how you can make a difference via voting, volunteering, or with a career in the field. In addition to the harmful tactics used in some policing, particularly against BIPOC individuals, there are also major, racial disparities within our prison system. According to the latestcensus information, African Americans make up about 13% of the American population.

In this view, only force and fraud that harm individuals and communities should result in incarceration. They argue for increased reliance on diversion programs or reduced sentencing that promote an individual’s right to productively and actively engage in society. With millions behind bars and $80 billion a year spent just on correctional facilities, liberals and conservatives are aligned in pushing for criminal justice reform.

Now that you know more about criminal justice, where do you want to take your career? There are many paths to success and opportunities for job growth in criminal justice. Many people choose a criminal justice profession because they’re passionate about some aspect of the field — investigations, crime prevention, law, or psychology, for example.

Community health workers address the causes that can contribute to criminality or conditions that place communities at higher risk for justice system involvement. Working in areas like violence prevention, substance abuse treatment and prevention, and epidemiology, public health workers help to lessen and alleviate those risk factors. Healthcare administrators work with correctional departments to plan and deliver services within facilities. They also develop and implement a continuum of care that follows offenders into the community providing key mental and physical health care. Understanding and respecting multiple perspectives on criminal justice reform is the first step to meaningful change.

They gather sociological data and operate in think tanks to brainstorm ideas to help prevent crimes. When security cameras are installed in new locations to reduce crime, it’s the result of a criminologist’s work. Their work may be responsible for more prevented crimes than dorm lynn university any other criminal justice worker, but it is impossible to collect statistics on crimes not committed. Still, it is one of the most important criminal justice careers available. The life of a private detective is far from the glamorous noir portrayals you see in film.

Thousands of these kids are awaiting trial, meaning they have not yet been convicted of a crime. Discriminatory sentencing extends well beyond the scope of the War on Drugs. Black and Latino Americans make up nearly 60% of the prison population, while they are only 30% of the overall population.

Many forensic analysts specialize within fields like ballistics, handwriting, fingerprinting, and biochemistry and frequently testify in court as expert witnesses reporting laboratory findings. Generally forensic analysts have salaries of $37,520 to $58,510 annually. FBI agents conduct investigations for the Federal Bureau of Investigations. FBI agents often work with local law enforcement agents to arrest or detain suspects.

Forensic psychologists fight the rate of mass incarceration by educating prosecutors and judges on mental health conditions and cognitive impairments. This may mean an offender receives life-changing treatment instead of jail time. They may also be called to testify in civil matters like custody disputes. Or, support local, community organizations that engage with youth and at-risk populations. Non-violent drug-related offenses … make up a large percentage of state and federal prison populations.