FIVE UNIQUE JOBS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Updated December 6, 2022 · 2 Min Read

Unique Criminal Justice Jobs Computer Forensic Investigator Background Screening Expert Crime Prevention Specialist First Responder Polygraph Technician Many students who graduate from a criminal justice program apply for traditional jobs as security guards and police officers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for police officers and detectives will grow at a slower ...

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Unique Criminal Justice Jobs

  • Computer Forensic Investigator
  • Background Screening Expert
  • Crime Prevention Specialist
  • First Responder
  • Polygraph Technician

Many students who graduate from a criminal justice program apply for traditional jobs as security guards and police officers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for police officers and detectives will grow at a slower than average rate in the future, which is why you should look at some of the more unique jobs in this field. Criminal justice jobs will help you investigate crimes and protect the general public from criminals.

Computer Forensic Investigator

If you have a criminal justice degree and strong computer skills, you might do well in a position as a computer forensic investigator. These investigators work for corrections departments and for government organizations. They are the ones that recover missing or lost data from hard drives and the ones who track the online activities of suspected criminals. When you work as an investigator, you may need to appear in court to talk about the evidence that you found and to describe it the judge and jury.

Background Screening Expert

Many professions today require that applicants go through an extensive background check. They need to submit their fingerprints to a police station and let the station run those prints through a computer. As a background screening expert, you will do a more serious investigation into the background of an individual. You will use your research skills to scour court records and find any crimes committed by that person. Some employers will also ask for civil records checks and credit checks that you will do based on a person's name, date of birth and social security number.

Crime Prevention Specialist

As a crime prevention specialist, you will have the chance to go out and into your community to talk with kids and others about staying safe. Specialists are responsible for creating crime prevention campaigns such as those launched after a child goes missing. You can organize volunteers to work in phone banks and accept tips. In addition to campaigns, you may visit local schools to talk with kids about how they can report any crimes they see and what to do when they are victims of crimes.

First Responder

Your criminal justice degree can help you get a job in the police department or fire fighting department of your city, but you should give some thought to becoming a first responder. A first responder is a professional who comes to the scene before anyone else. You will be one of the first people on the scene after a terrorist attack, a house fire or a gang shooting. First responders are responsible for securing the crime scene to preserve the evidence, looking for any witnesses to the event and keeping others from suffering injuries.

Polygraph Technician

One of the more unique criminal justice jobs that you might like is a polygraph technician. Better known as a lie detector, this is a test that a professional hooks a suspected criminal up to before asking that individual a series of questions. The test measures heart rate and other physical responses, and you'll use that information to determine if the individual is truthful in his or her responses. Police departments and lawyers often use these tests as a way to weed out prospective suspects and find out more about a crime.

Criminal justice students often work in corrections and as police officers, security guards, probation officers and parole officers. There are a number of other jobs available that you can get with your degree. Unique criminal justice jobs include fire responders, background screening experts, computer forensic investigators, polygraph technicians and crime prevention specialists.

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