What Can You Do with a Criminal Justice Degree?

What Is Criminal Justice?

Criminal justice (CJ) refers to the collection of “laws, procedures, institutions, and policies at play before, during, and after the commission of a crime.” In ancient times, crimes were investigated and prosecuted privately, with no assistance from the government. But over millennia, the concept of criminal justice evolved, so that today’s modern societies are built on a social contract between the government and its citizens in which the government is responsible for maintaining order and prosecuting crimes.²

Criminal laws, police systems, courts, prisons and jails, lawyers, and judges are part of the system that maintains the rule of law—this system “prescribes the fate of the criminal” and “provides recompense to the victim.” The U.S. criminal justice system is designed to deter criminal acts by creating punishments that are proportionate to the crime and rehabilitating convicted criminals through incarceration.²

Criminal Justice Degree Programs

As with most other academic disciplines, criminal justice degree programs may be offered at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. And some CJ degree programs may also offer different specializations, for example, forensic science, or homeland security and crisis management.

Associate and bachelor’s degree programs in criminal justice offer an opportunity to develop foundational knowledge of the American criminal justice system. Because these are undergraduate degree programs, criminal justice majors must typically satisfy a school’s general education requirements in addition to completing coursework directly tied to their chosen discipline.

Associate Degree in Criminal Justice

The American InterContinental University Associate of Science in Criminal Justice (ASCJ) online degree program covers broad fundamentals of the U.S. criminal justice system and is designed to help students prepare to pursue various first-line criminal justice career paths. ASCJ students may explore the current state of the criminal justice system in the United States; the fundamentals of corrections; and introductory topics in criminology, criminal law, law enforcement and the American court system.

Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice

The AIU Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (BSCJ) online degree program is designed so that students can work to develop broad-based knowledge of the U.S. criminal justice system, with an emphasis on policing, courts, criminology, corrections, juvenile justice, homeland security and the field of forensic science. Students may choose to pursue a specialization in forensic science or in homeland security and crisis management. In lieu of choosing one of these two specializations, BSCJ students may select five CJ electives.

What Potential Career Paths Could You Pursue with a Criminal Justice Degree?

The following are examples of different criminal justice career paths. Note that these occupations may also require additional training, on-the-job experience or licensure:^*

Correctional Officer or Jailer

• Job Responsibilities: Correctional officers guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institutions, and they may guard prisoners in transit between jail, the courtroom, prison or another point.³ Within a prison or jail, correctional officers enforce rules and regulations; help to maintain the security of the facility by inspecting cells for unsanitary conditions, contraband and security breaches; and inspect mail and screen visitors for prohibited items.³ They also conduct periodic inmate counts, write reports and maintain daily logs, and may have to physically restrain those in custody.³
• Education: Correctional officers typically must hold at least a high school diploma or its equivalent, although federal facilities, which are overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, may require a bachelor’s degree or several years of experience in a field involving counseling or supervision. Additional requirements may include meeting a minimum age threshold, usually set somewhere between the ages of 18 to 21; completing additional training at an academy; and obtaining state certification.³
• Projected Job Growth 2024–2034: -7% (however, despite the decline, the BLS indicates a need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or retire)³

Forensic Science Technician

• Job Responsibilities: Depending on their background and interests, forensic science technicians may specialize in crime scene investigation or laboratory work, though many perform both sets of duties.⁴
  • Forensic science technicians who work out in the field may be called “crime scene investigators.” They document crime scenes by taking photographs, making sketches or writing down their observations. They collect physical and biological evidence (e.g., weapons, fingerprints, DNA evidence) and preserve it so that the crime lab can analyze it. They may also help to reconstruct crime scenes.⁴
  • Forensic science technicians who work in the lab may perform laboratory analyses on evidence collected from crime scenes, examine DNA results to determine their significance to an investigation, consult with experts such as toxicologists and odontologists, and prepare technical reports.⁴
• Education: A bachelor’s degree in physical science, biology or forensic science is typically required. Additionally, forensic science technicians typically must undergo a period of on-the-job training and may need to pass a proficiency exam before being allowed to work independently. Obtaining forensic science certification, though not always required, may be beneficial.⁴
• Projected Job Growth 2024–2034: 13%⁴

Customs and Border Protection Officer

• Job Responsibilities: Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers investigate and inspect persons and things coming into or going out of the United States to detect any violations of immigration and customs laws and regulations.⁵ CBP officers work together with Border Patrol (BP) agents,⁶ who are responsible for securing international land borders and coastal waters between ports of entry.⁷
• Education: Vocational school training, relevant on-the-job experience or an associate degree is typically required.⁵
• Projected Job Growth 2024–2034: 3% to 4%⁵

^* AIU cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. The list of potential career paths related to these programs is based on a subset from the Bureau of Labor Statistics CIP to SOC Crosswalk. Some career paths listed above may require further education or job experience.