Criminal justice is one of those fields where all kinds of people can find their calling. Some criminal justice experts conduct research or psychological studies in an office. Others work in laboratories, examining evidence. Still others are on the streets, supervising police officers or detectives. No matter which path is right for you, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) Administration and Leadership from Averett University can help you achieve your dream.
Averett’s MSCJ program is perfect for people entering or moving up in administration and leadership positions in a law enforcement agency or private company. It takes intense study, but with hard work and an attentive instructor, it’s possible to complete your degree in less than two years. Many Averett graduates go on to enjoy rewarding, financially lucrative careers. Wondering about the possibilities? Here are a few jobs that could be in your future:
- Criminal profilers analyze crime scene evidence and use various methods to help investigators focus on and apprehend the most likely suspects. They provide important insights into possible motivations for a crime and hypothesize on offenders’ characteristics, such as age, education, appearance and the probability of them committing another crime
- Police and detective supervisors schedule, train, motivate and evaluate officers, detectives and sometimes clerks and technicians. They ensure their staff follows departmental policies and they often assist in investigations.
- Correctional officer supervisors manage staffs in correctional institutions or parole departments. They assign tasks and caseloads, focusing on the safety and wellbeing of their officers, offenders and the public.
- Emergency management directors develop emergency plans for local, state and federal law enforcement and public protection agencies. They coordinate the emergency response between agencies when disasters strike and assist private businesses and organizations in emergency and disaster preparation and response.
- Forensic psychologists work in the legal system to assess suspected or convicted criminals and promote mental health treatment services. They may determine whether an accused person is fit to stand trial, evaluate the accused’s sanity, testify at trials, recommend sentencing and perform other tasks to help ensure public safety.
- District attorney investigators investigate crimes, do undercover work, serve warrants, collaborate with other law enforcement agencies and testify in civil and criminal court. At the federal level, attorney general investigators are classified as special agents who may work on projects related to tax and government fraud.
- Criminologists study crime and its causes and make policy recommendations to law enforcement. They use insights and theories from disciplines such as psychology, sociology and environmental science to learn about crime in the context of society as a whole. They may work in the field or in traditional research settings gathering information, compiling interviews and creating statistical reports to understand crime and develop ways to address it.
- Supervisory criminal investigators assign cases to investigators and detectives and help develop and implement departmental policies. They ensure patrol officers and investigators collect all possible evidence and complete investigations accurately and thoroughly. Field supervisors often determine when evidence technicians and other support personnel should be called to a crime scene.
- Forensic examiners analyze evidence from or related to a crime scene to help law enforcement officials reconstruct events. They may work in the laboratory, as consultants in the courtroom or in a combination of settings to support a case, but rarely in the field.
- Private security managers work for security management firms or as consultants to protect public utilities, nuclear power plants, private company data servers, social events, high-profile persons and other assets. Their focus is typically on preventing, rather than responding to, crime.
This list is just the start of what an MSCJ degree from Averett University can lead to. The broad range of possibilities lets you choose the path best suited to your strengths and won’t lock you in for the future.