Criminal justice as a career path offers a wide array of positions and subspecialties, each supporting the goals of public safety and upholding the principles of government. This entry examines and delineates the roles of various criminal justice professionals in judicial, law enforcement, and correctional domains, highlighting auxiliary responsibilities and general knowledge, skill, and ability requirements for each role.
Judicial Domain
The judicial system comprises numerous positions within the criminal justice system, including judges, criminal prosecutors, correctional officers, and probation and parole officers. Integral to the criminal justice system is the tenet that justice is not only sought but fairly applied.
Judges are a crucial part of the system, often as one of the first individuals in the criminal justice system a person charged with a crime encounters, such as during the arraignment process (when the person charged enters a plea of guilty or not guilty). Generally, district judges must possess a law degree and have experience as a prosecutor. Other duties of judges involve signing search warrants and handing down sentences for those found guilty or exonerating an individual upon good cause. Alternatively, a judge may order probation if an individual’s crime is considered minor.
Judges also oversee the judicial process as it relates to the prosecution of criminal offenses. Anyone interested in prosecuting criminal cases on behalf of the state or local government must obtain a law degree and be licensed to practice law within a specific jurisdiction.
Oftentimes an offender will receive punishment in the form of incarceration at a correctional facility such as a jail or a prison. Correctional officers are tasked with maintaining security in these facilities. An individual may prepare for a career as a correctional officer by taking specific corrections courses, and many law enforcement agencies require rookie officers to serve a year as correctional officers before assigning them to street patrol.
Probation, an alternative to serving jail or prison time for minor offenses, is overseen by a probation officer. This person supervises the conduct of an individual granted probation by a judge. A probation officer must generally possess some college experience and be able to manage multiple, diverse caseloads.
Parole officers monitor the activity of correctional inmates after they have been released into society on parole. Such monitoring serves as a measure of public safety and recidivism reduction. In accordance with this responsibility, parole officers can implement a range of actions, including unannounced home visits and mandatory urinalyses. Many jurisdictions require parole officers to have a bachelor’s degree in some field related to criminal justice.
Law Enforcement Domain
Patrol
Many police officers begin their careers in a highway or a street patrol. In fact, most police agencies require several years of patrol experience before allowing advancement to other specialized areas of law enforcement. In a broad context, the primary goals of a police patrol are (a) to deter crime by incorporating the visible presence of a marked police unit, (b) to reduce the occurrence of vehicular accidents, and (c) to interdict illicit activities. The community-oriented policing model revolutionized approaches to patrol efforts by integrating strategic-oriented policing, neighborhood-oriented policing, and problem-solving policing. Because criminal activity and vehicular accidents are not uncommon phenomena, occurring day and night, patrol officers work varying schedules in order to meet the demands of 24-hour coverage.
Numerous factors play into the responsibilities of a patrol officer, including agency size and the geographic area served. For example, local police departments generally focus on urban-related traffic violations and service calls by concerned citizens and complainants of criminal activity. Many of the larger police departments in the United States have the ability to direct patrol activities toward specific areas, such as speed enforcement, accident investigation, and highway narcotics interdiction. Each state utilizes a highway patrol to enforce traffic laws on state and interstate highways. These officers are also highly trained in the areas of accident investigation and criminal interdiction.
Technological advances have changed how patrol officers and other law enforcement officers carry out their duties. Computer tablets have replaced the pen, and analog radio systems now comprise digital units. Advancements in radar technology have enhanced speed enforcement activities. Many of these changes were implemented in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001, and have changed the landscape of police work and intelligence systems. Fusion centers have been created in an effort to provide a type of proactive intelligence platform whereby information can be shared among various local, state, and federal agencies. In contrast to attending shift roll call, patrol officers are now equipped with robust, in-car computer networks connecting them to critical incident data in real time. Having this technology allows officers to begin their shift in their patrol unit, rather than at roll call, which can also help police agencies effectively manage resources and costs.
Aviation
Many mid-size and large police agencies employ aviation assets as a mechanism of public safety. Typically, aviation officers can choose to focus on either fixed wing (airplane) or rotor wing (helicopter). While both can cover large geographic areas, fixed wing aviation assets may be used to transport prisoners and conduct aerial reconnaissance, whereas rotor wing aviation is generally used to survey areas to identify such criminal activity as growing marijuana crops, to transport officers from one location to the next, and to carry out manhunt operations. Some officers seek to qualify as a flight tactical officer whose job is to sit next to the pilot and make observations of criminal activity.
Officers choosing the aviation career path are generally more tenured but do not necessarily have to be of advanced rank for consideration. It is not uncommon for agencies to require prior licensure as a pilot.
Federal Law Enforcement Careers
While the focus in this entry so far has been on local law enforcement, there are also many potential career paths within federal law enforcement. With over 70 federal law enforcement agencies employing investigators, often called special agents, careers in federal law enforcement can take many paths with a variety of agencies, each with its own mission. Most agencies have exclusive enforcement delineations, while others have broad authorities. For example, the mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to enforce U.S. laws and regulations regarding controlled substances. The mission of the Federal Bureau of Investigations is to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners.
The hiring process for federal law enforcement positions is competitive. The stronger the applicant’s education, experience, and specializations are, the more likely the candidate is of obtaining the first step in the hiring process. The list of federal law enforcement opportunities available to individuals with diverse educational and professional backgrounds is ever expanding. Often, the decision-makers of agencies are searching for individuals who hold degrees in fields beyond criminal justice. Psychology, law, forensic accounting, political science, emergency management, foreign language, computer technology, and homeland security are some desirable educational backgrounds.
As national security threats expand, so does the need for individuals with additional qualifications, such as a specialty in cybersecurity. Each agency has distinctive training programs and prefers candidates who bring specialized knowledge and skills to fulfill positions that contribute to the agency’s mission. Once hired, the individual will sign a mobility agreement and attend an academy for training. Because relocation and travel are common to these positions, those who prefer not to relocate may wish to pursue a career in a local or state law enforcement agency.
Depending on the agency’s mission, the job duties of special agents vary, although in a basic sense they gather evidence through informants, undercover operations, surveillance methods, search warrants, interviews, and interrogation. Covert surveillance may include visual observation, wiretaps, and tracking and electronic methods obtained by a written permission from a court. Agents are required to write a detailed affidavit establishing probable cause when requesting court permission to electronically intercept evidence. Agents must also keep copious notes and reports of surveillance findings. Depending on the court-authorized search warrant issued, agents may examine personal, financial, and business records as well as electronic documents for evidence in furtherance of an investigation. Agents also serve arrest warrants, prepare for court proceedings, and testify on the evidence presented.
In addition to special agents, federal law enforcement agencies have a number of support positions that carry out important roles. These include polygraph operators, training coordinators, firearms instructors, confidential informant coordinators, recruiters, victim witness coordinators, critical incident responders, internal affairs investigators, and public information officers. These positions are usually available to experienced agents or those with specialized training.
Alternative Careers in Federal Law Enforcement
In addition to special agents and support positions, federal law enforcement agencies offer career opportunities in a variety of disciplines. Within each agency, specialized positions are utilized to further the agency’s purpose. This section describes a few diverse opportunities within DEA to provide examples of career paths within a single-mission federal law enforcement agency.
DEA chemists analyze substances seized by law enforcement to determine whether they are illegal or controlled substances, and they may testify in court, usually for the prosecution, regarding the composition of such substances. DEA intelligence analysts provide information to assist with investigations, help with trial preparation, and deliver reports and statistics to supervisors when requested. Diversion investigators perform investigations into operations related to pharmaceutical drugs and drug-manufacturing chemicals. These types of supporting careers may be often overlooked when one is seeking a career in criminal justice, but they can offer exciting and rewarding opportunities within the criminal justice field.
Corrections Domain
In addition to the correctional positions that fall into the judicial domain (i.e., probation officers, corrections, and parole officers), there are various other administrative and support positions within the correctional system. The warden is responsible for administrative oversight, which includes the day-to-day operation of matters such as budgeting, policy development, personnel management, and goals that support offender treatment. Generally, a warden must have an advanced degree in public policy and have an extensive experience in executive management.
In addition to the warden, other administrators are needed to ensure that policies that support the mission of justice are effectively carried out. Administrator jobs are typically obtained by first serving several years as a manager within the facility. However, an individual may be able to secure a jail or a prison administrator job by having an advanced degree in business or public administration, coupled with prior management experience.
Because the ultimate goal of incarceration is rehabilitation, mental health professionals are employed to care for and treat offenders who have psychological disorders. In addition, medical staff are employed in order to address ailments associated with normal life-span development as well as those resulting from within the institution such as assaults or communicable diseases. Finally, each inmate is assigned a case worker, who closely monitors the inmate’s status and reports directly to a parole board regarding the status of the inmate’s progress.
The precise execution of each of the aforementioned roles is needed to successfully implement policies dedicated to offender rehabilitation and lessen recidivism.
Final Thoughts
Together, the judicial, correctional, and law enforcement components of the justice system carry out justice and, when carried out efficiently, positively impact public safety. The broad role of the criminal justice professional, then, is to ensure that the goals of justice are served within the parameters of government.
References:
- Cochrane, R., Tett, R., & Vandecreek, L. (2003). Psychological testing and the selection of police officers: A national survey. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 5(30), 511–537.
- Meesig, R., & Horvath, F. (1995). National survey of practices, policies and evaluative comments on the use of preemployment polygraph screening in police agencies in the United States. Polygraph, 2(24), 57–136.
- Oliver, W. M. (2001). Community-oriented policing: A systemic approach to policing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
- Verschuere, B., Crombez, G., Koster, E., & Uzieblo, K. (2006). Psychopathy and physiological detection of concealed information: A review. Psychologica Belgica, 46(1–2), 99–116.