Justice Administration Degree
Justice administration offers career opportunities for people interested in many aspects of law enforcement and rehabilitation. A person with a justice administration degree will be qualified to work at all levels of government in jobs such as police officer, narcotics investigator, paralegal, victim advocate, bailiff, bail bond agent, customs agent, park ranger, or game warden. Justice administration workers are responsible for enforcement of laws and regulations, border security, rehabilitation programs, and other aspects of the criminal justice system that criminal justice administration courses prepare them for. Jobs in justice administration are physically demanding and stressful, so a high level of physical fitness is required for many positions. Working on the front lines of the criminal justice system, these positions are vital to the health, welfare, and safety of our society.
Justice Administration Degree Description
Some local jurisdictions hire and train police officers and other justice administration personnel with a minimum of a high school diploma, but many require at least a bachelor’s degree. Almost all state and federal positions require a bachelor’s degree or higher, depending upon the specialty. A justice administration degree program will provide courses in basic skills such as writing, communication, and use of computers. There will also be courses in the social sciences such as psychology and sociology. The curriculum will include criminal justice administration courses covering law, the legal system, legal interpretation, law enforcement, drug rehabilitation, and finance. Justice administration degree programs are available at all degree levels; the student should determine what the degree level requirements are for their desired career path.
Justice Administration Careers
The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects job growth in the justice administration field to be about the average of all other occupations, but there will be some specialized areas with exceptional job growth, especially those focused on homeland security and computer security. Some of the jobs available to graduates of criminal justice administration programs include police officer, criminal investigator, corrections officer, bailiff, private security consultant, social worker, game warden, border patrol agent, and victim advocate.
Justice administration jobs at the local level tend to require less formal education than jobs with state and federal agencies, so their average pay is commensurately lower. The highest paying jobs are with federal agencies. Some agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) require specialized degrees such as electrical engineering and accounting, along with criminal justice administration courses, plus several years of related experience before they will consider hiring a job candidate. For most federal agencies, prior experience in law enforcement or the military is a big advantage in finding employment.