Masters in Criminal Justice Jobs
The variety of career options open to someone who has completed a Master of Criminal Justice degree is not always easy to grasp. The management and administrative positions that are available throughout the criminal justice system extend well beyond law enforcement to court administration, probation management, and all of the supervisorial specializations associated with juvenile justice. Within other segments of the public sector there are opportunities for management of criminal justice programs at the state and local level. Criminal justice funds flow from the federal government through the state and into counties and cities for a variety of programs. Professionals who have studied criminal justice at the graduate level administer most of those programs.
- Children’s Protective Services Supervisor: In every state either at the county or state level there is a strong oversight organization for children that have come to the court’s attention. The issue may be a parent with substance abuse problems, instances of child abuse, or neglect. The agency assigned to monitor care for these children provide counseling services but also functions as an enforcement arm. The people who manage these agencies or supervise sections of them are dedicated individuals.
- Probation Supervisor: Probation departments are notorious for being understaffed and overloaded with cases. Probation officers in most counties or municipal court jurisdictions carry very heavy case loads. Playing a supervisorial role in such an environment is a real human resources challenge because morale is an important factor in a perpetually burdened environment. A probation supervisor must also work with court administrators on a daily basis to manage the constant influx of new cases and court decisions on pending cases. It’s an enormously challenging career.
- Court Administrator: This job requires attention to a thousand details. A court administrator is responsible for the daily functions of each courtroom within his purview. That may mean oversight of the clerk’s office, the filing procedures, communicating with the bailiffs, the probation department, and managing the budget. Some jurisdictions prefer a court administrator with a law degree, but in most cases an education in criminal justice or a related field is acceptable; as with any industry a graduate degree is going to be more attractive to the hiring committee than a bachelor’s degree.
- Criminal Justice Policy Coordinator: This is really a generic description for any number of positions that cities and counties find necessary as part of a criminal justice administrative program. It may have to do with coordinating incarceration policies, with managing federal or state funds mandated for criminal justice purposes, or it may be simply a liaison role with multiple jurisdictions. Because overcrowded courts, overcrowded jails and overburdened police are a constant local issue there are job opportunities within local legislative or executive bodies for professionals with knowledge of the system.
- Police Management: This is obviously a job for a seasoned police officer that has worked his or her way through the ranks, the civil service exams and the promotional lists. But part of the process for securing a police administrative position today at a senior level is obtaining the necessary educational credentials. At some point career officers who have reached the level of inspector or sergeant are going to have to consider returning to school. The array of Master’s in Criminal Justice programs that make working and school mesh should provide opportunities to today’s mid-level police supervisors that were a difficult challenge to previous generations.
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