Criminal justice is an extremely important sector that has a significant impact on communities and society, as criminal justice professionals are effectively responsible for protecting everyone and everything from criminal activity, terrorism, and other threats.

The criminal justice system is made up of law enforcement agencies and personnel, courts, and the corrections department, who must collaborate to prevent, deter, and address crime. There are many other components to the criminal justice system, however, and other important elements include the military and specifically certain types of military personnel, as well as private-sector investigators, and technology experts who play significant roles in ensuring the safety and security of people, companies, and property.

To be successful in the field, you’ll need to be capable of combining managerial skills with knowledge of law enforcement best practices to ensure that the department or agency you work for can continue to run smoothly and efficiently, allowing it to complete its core mission of protecting people and their property.

There are all sorts of interesting, exciting, and rewarding career opportunities in criminal justice, especially for people who are reliable, thorough, independent, clear communicators, and who are willing to be challenged, yet who can remain calm under pressure. Whether you’ve already got experience in the field or you’re looking to start a career from scratch, getting your bachelor’s degree in criminal justice could help set you up for lifelong success in the industry. According to The Balance Careers, top-rated reasons to consider working in criminal justice include getting to help others on a daily basis, enjoying job stability and security, getting to engage your brain in complex, challenging work situations, and enjoying excellent health and retirement benefits. If you’re the type of person who wants to have a positive impact on society, then a career in criminal justice could be the perfect fit for you.

Criminal justice professionals are tasked with a huge variety of responsibilities, with duties being dramatically different depending on the specific role.

The criminal justice system encompasses a huge number of different types of roles, and is not at all limited to jobs working as police officers or corrections personnel, as is commonly thought.

As a criminal justice professional, you’ll have the opportunity to explore careers in a whole series of related sectors, institutions, and organizations, including:

• State and federal agencies, including, but not limited to law enforcement agencies.
• Local police and sheriff departments, or other related organizations.
• Correctional and government facilities.
• Private sector investigative, security, and risk-assessment firms.
• Insurance, banking, and other companies in the financial sector.

Because there are so many different options for criminal justice professionals, it’s difficult to say exactly what any given professional is responsible for doing on a daily basis, but some typical responsibilities across different positions in the field include:

• Developing policies.
• Advising on crisis response.
• Providing law updates.
• Managing records.

Depending on what specific role you pursue, your work functions and duties may be similar, or significantly different from the list above.

The great thing about getting into the criminal justice industry is that you’ll have lots of different options for the types of roles you choose to pursue, so no matter what you’re interested in doing, as long as you’re keen on having a positive impact, you should be able to find a compelling and rewarding position in the field.

CSU Global’s Criminal Justice Bachelor’s program prepares alumni to lead criminal justice, law enforcement, and related organizations by providing them with a strong foundation of competencies in a range of related skills, including: 

• Learning how to run an effective criminal justice system and how to serve as a professional who is capable of making excellent decisions even while under a great deal of pressure.
• Developing a detailed understanding of the role and impact that the criminal justice system has on communities and society as a whole, including a sophisticated awareness of addressing safety concerns and protecting civil liberties.
• Awareness for how the criminal justice system and investigation-related jobs and processes are changing due to cyberthreats and rapid improvements in technology.

Our online B.S. in Criminal Justice introduces students to the theories and practices of law enforcement, helping them to develop a complex understanding of the ethical issues and controversial policies facing criminal justice organizations and personnel, setting them up for success in pursuing roles in:

• Law enforcement.
• Public- and private-sector agencies.
• Political science.
• Research.
• Social work.
• Investigations.
• Military personnel.
• Corporate security.
• Executive protection.
• Global security specialist.
• Government contractor.
• Other related fields.

With the detailed understanding our program provides of the functions and relationship between the police, courts, and corrections component of the criminal justice system, our graduates emerge from their bachelor’s program fully-prepared to provide value to any organization from day one.

Yes. While it may take hard work and dedication to complete your bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, CSU Global’s 100% online program is one of the best ways to prepare for a career in the field.

Earning your bachelor’s degree in criminal justice can contribute to your overall career advancement, preparing you for employment in some of the industries top roles, like:

• Police Officers and Detectives / 2019 Median Pay: $65,170
• Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists / 2019 Median Pay: $54,290
• Private Detectives and Investigators / 2019 Median Pay: $50,510
• Emergency Management Directors / 2019 Median Pay: $74,590 

It really is worth getting a bachelor’s in criminal justice, because the skills, knowledge and abilities you develop by learning about criminal justice best practices will set you up to pursue lifelong success in the industry.

CSU Global is one of the best online colleges for criminal justice, and you should consider studying with us because:

• Our B.S. in Criminal Justice program earned a #1 ranking for 10 Best Online Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice Degree Programs from Online Course Report.
• Our partnership program with important criminal justice agencies and organizations could help build your professional network
• Our online criminal justice program is nationally and professionally recognized, and regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

We also recently earned several prestigious awards, including:

• A #3 ranking for Best Colleges in Colorado from Best Value Schools.

A Gold School of Distinction award from Best Colleges, making us one of only 15 schools to receive gold rankings, out of more than 2,000 online degree programs.