Criminal justice is a career that attracts many people and you may have been intrigued by it. It’s a great option if you want to make the world a greater place or to make sure that communities are policed fairly and adequately. The profession also has some hidden benefits that many people discover only once they start working. If you are still on the fence about embarking on a career in criminal justice, here are six reasons why you should consider making the jump now.
It’s a Stable Career
Many fields go up and down with uncertain demand and fear of things like automation. You won’t have to worry about any of this with a career in criminal justice. Whether it’s as a correctional officer, lawyer, or police officer, people are still going to commit crimes and we need people to stop them. Not to mention that people who are involved in criminal justice can also play an integral role in public health efforts, and this could become more common in the future.
You also have the choice of working in either the private sector or the public sector. The private sector offers better pay, but less stability, while you’ll be safe and have great benefits if you decide to work for the government. This kind of freedom and security is something that you can rarely get in a career.
Mental Stimulation
People often assume that you don’t need to be that bright to work in criminal justice, but that’s only because they have a misconception of the field. Criminals will throw all kinds of curveballs your way, and you have to be able to think on your feet in many situations. Not to mention that you may have to participate in investigations. All of this demands someone with high attention to detail with great reasoning and problem-solving skills.
You Get the Chance to Help People
This should be the main motivation for working in criminal justice. The best officers are those who enter the field out of a sense of duty and truly want to help the people in their community or the communities they work in. You will be working on keeping populations safe by protecting them from everyday and serious crimes. This could be through intervening in crimes in progress, but also by helping prevent crimes or rehabilitating criminals so there’s a smaller chance of them becoming recidivists.
Others may want to go into research and try to get into the mind of criminals and why they do the things they do. They might be able to understand why criminal activity may be more common in certain areas, and implement widespread change that could help reduce crime through policy and community action. So, if you hadn’t previously seen criminal justice as a helping career, know that it’s actually one of the most helpful fields anyone can embark on.
The Variety
Another thing that makes criminal justice such a great field is the variety it offers. If you want to be close to the action, you can always work in corrections or in the force. If you want something more in-depth and want to help solve cases, you can work as a detective. Do you love science but still want to work in the field? Then forensic science is for you. Or maybe you want to play an active role in taking contraband off the streets and preventing them from entering the country? Then maybe you could work for customs.
Everything starts with having the proper credentials. If you want to start a successful career, one great option would be to get a bachelor of criminology from Wilfried Laurier University. Not only are these convenient, but the entry requirements are usually lower. This could prepare you for a career in public health and safety, police, social work, youth advocacy, or forensics. You then have the choice of specialising in any area you wish so you can move past level entry positions.
Criminal Justice Careers Are Not Your Average 9 to 5
If you still have friends that are working regular jobs, your stories will be very different at the end of the day. While you may have spent the day cracking open an old case, being involved in a high-stress chase, or helping save a child, family, or entire community from imminent danger, your friend may have spent their days working on menial tasks that they don’t care about or even hate.
If you like not knowing what the next day will bring and can’t see yourself being chained to a desk or workstation, this is a great field for you. Know, however, that there are plenty of desk jobs in the industry and there’s space for people who want to help with the administrative side of things as well.
Another thing you’ll love about criminal justice is the people you’ll end up meeting and the rooms you’ll be in. You might get a chance to meet local or federal officials. You may even get to work on special initiatives with celebrities. There are some cases where you might genuinely feel like a rockstar after being awarded for some of the work you have done. So that’s a job that isn’t only exciting but extremely rewarding as well.
The Benefits
We briefly mentioned the benefits earlier, but this needs to be reaffirmed. If you work as a public servant, you may have a health and benefits package that only a tiny fraction of the population can dream off, especially if you work with the federal government. Not only you, but your entire family could enjoy benefits as well. You will get help with everything from tuition for advanced training or higher credentials, to paid holidays, sick leave, and life insurance just to name a few. Not to mention that careers in the field often allow workers to retire much earlier.
If you were wondering whether criminal justice is the right career choice for you, we hope we were able to help you with your decision. Still consult with people in the field and ask them as many questions as you can about what it’s truly like to work in criminal justice.