Are you someone who loves to support and give back to your community? Maybe helping others is something that is very important to you. A career in criminal justice is a great way to help others while also making a living. With many different career options, including police officer, crime science investigator, or paralegal, a degree in criminal justice could be the start of an exciting career path for you!

A criminal justice degree is a great way to prepare yourself for a future profession in the field. Many career colleges offer either an associate or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. An associate degree is a great way to get working in the field faster: With a shorter amount of time spent in school, an associate degree in criminal justice may be the right choice for those who want to get on the job and working soon. With a criminal justice bachelor’s degree, students are able to tailor their learning to their specific interests in the field. This leads to more specific job choices when you graduate.

The Imagine America Foundation (IAF) offers a variety of resources to help you begin the daunting task of starting school for the first time or taking the next step towards earning another degree. IAF also offers scholarships to many of our different participating schools to help make paying for school a little easier. Starting a new, engaging career in the field of criminal justice offers many opportunities for those who are interested.

Here are 5 reasons why this career could be the perfect fit for you.

When you think of criminal justice careers, your thoughts may lead you to believe that this is only a degree for someone interested in being a police officer. But this couldn’t be further from the truth!

There are so many more careers available to someone who holds a criminal justice degree. In addition to law enforcement, private investigators and security officers can also hold a degree in this field. Other jobs within the criminal justice world can include a paralegal, forensic analyst, crime scene investigator, cyber security specialist, or social worker. Anyone who works within the justice field could benefit from this degree so they better understand the rules, regulations, and policies that govern it. With so many different degrees intertwined, you can advance your career or learn more by going back to school and adding different certifications—which can also grow your knowledge and salary.

Crime never takes a vacation, which means there’s always work to be done. People who work in the criminal justice field benefit from 24/7 job security because of this. Employees in the criminal justice career fields have an around-the-clock job schedule, which means agencies need people who are always ready and willing to work. Because of the nature of these jobs, there are many openings waiting for those who hold an associate or bachelor’s degree in this field.

With so many jobs to perform, employees in this field also benefit from knowing there are many different job opportunities they can pursue. This job steadiness is a factor in many students making the choice of deciding to pursue a degree in criminal justice.

Protecting and serving the community is a key element when working in the criminal justice field. While on the job, you can help citizens live a safe life each day. Whether you are helping stop crime as a law enforcement officer or working with the law as a paralegal, there are many ways to support those in need while making a salary.

Many of the jobs within the criminal justice field make for an easy transition for those who are retiring from the military and looking for the next step on their career path. Those who have spent part of their lives serving their country are often used to physically demanding, high-pressure jobs. These two qualities are often seen in the fast-paced, intense world of criminal justice.

Whether you are a law enforcement officer, security guard, or cybersecurity specialist, the time you spent in the military can be great prep for your next job once you’ve earned your criminal justice degree. The military also offers many incentives and options for eligible students when it comes to going back to school. One of these is the fact that you can take online courses while still actively serving your country, which can help you get your second career started even before you’ve finished your military service.

As a public servant, you can have access to good healthcare and retirement benefits when you work in the field of criminal justice. Often these types of professions have an earlier age of retirement and offer a higher rate of accrual when it comes to benefit pay. Due to the physically demanding workload that can come with some of these jobs, like a law enforcement officer, excellent healthcare and treatment may be provided to its employees. Healthcare and retirement benefits are a great way to stay healthy on the job while planning for the future.