The criminal justice system is a good field to get into particularly if you are interested in criminology and find fulfillment in fighting crimes and keeping people safe. While other sectors may be suffering from a downturn in terms of employment, criminal justice continues to hire new people to meet its growing demands for providing security to the country and its population. And criminal justice salary compensates well for the job, whether you are working for the government or the private sector.
If you work for the government, criminal justice salaries can have a wide range in its structure, depending on how big the department is. Geographic location is an important factor in determining the salaries of criminal justice employees. Seniority including length of service, as well as special skills also determines the level of one’s paycheck. In the private sector, salary range also varies according to the size of the firm you are engaged in, your personal qualifications and experience, and your contributions to the company.
To have a good career in criminal justice, it has become important to have college level education. Many of those employed by the system have studied criminal justice, with bachelor or associate degrees. Many go for post-graduate education to advance their careers and salary levels. The system may also welcome those who may not have majored in criminal justice but whose field of study may prove beneficial to matters of security and solving crimes. For example, forensic pathology may hire those with backgrounds in biology or medicine; or white collar offenses departments may hire accountants and finance experts to help track down offenders in this area. Additionally, with the fast advancement of information technology and its continuing importance to criminal justice work, the system may be on constant need for people with a good background in this field.
The law enforcement component of criminal justice may hire not only police officers, but agents for federal agencies such as the FBI and Homeland Security as well. The nationwide average salary of police officers and police detectives is somewhere in the area of $55,000 annually but those in the supervisory and higher levels may have a yearly take-home pay of around $80,000. Crime scene investigators and forensic scientists may earn $30,000 to $80,000 a year. Agents working for federal agencies such as the FBI or the Drug Enforcement Agency may earn between $40,000 and $80,000 annually. Customs agents and US marshals may take home somewhere between $36,000 and $50,000 a year.
The courts component of the criminal justice system also has good salary ranges for its employees. Government lawyers may make anywhere from $50,000 to $150,000 per year. Paychecks for private lawyers may also run along the same figures but those who are have more prominence than others expectedly get bigger fees. A good job opportunity for non-lawyers in the courts system is working as a paralegal. They basically do research to help an attorney in a case and can earn as much as $29,000 to $75,000. Court clerks and legal secretaries may make around $40,000 to $60,000 a year.
In the corrections department, employment may be found as a correctional officer, a probation officer or a parole officer, among others. Correctional officers’ salary is between $40,000 to $65,000, while correctional administrators may make between $40,000 and $90,000. Parole and probation officers may also make approximately the same amount.
