Learn the Pros and Cons of a Criminal Justice Degree

The abilities you gain will assist you in bettering the world around you.

You’ll gain useful abilities as a criminal justice major that you may utilize to positively impact those around you.  For example, you’ll learn how to communicate effectively with people from various backgrounds.

 

You’ll also learn how to de-escalate situations and keep your calm. Obviously, these skills can be useful in a variety of situations, and they can help prevent a bad situation from getting worse.

Beyond that, you can gain an appreciation for our country’s laws and legal system, as well as how that system contributes to the maintenance of law and order. You can also learn about ways to improve our criminal justice system and better serve communities at the local, state, and national levels.

The Drawbacks of a Criminal Justice Degree

An advanced degree may be required.

As stated in the introduction, an advanced degree may be required to obtain the highest-paying criminal justice jobs. A bachelor’s-level worker in criminal justice, for example, earns roughly $61,000 per year on average. However, with a master’s degree, you may be able to increase your annual salary by $12,000 or more.

While the additional pay is appealing, obtaining a master’s degree requires significantly more time, money, and effort. A criminal justice master’s program will most certainly take at least a year if not two. And once you’ve completed your degree, there’s no guarantee you’ll see an increase in pay – at least not right away.

 

Many jobs in the criminal justice system are inherently dangerous.

Many criminal justice graduates work in law enforcement to serve their communities. This is an admirable job, but it can be extremely dangerous. Every day, police officers, deputies, detectives, and other members of law enforcement may find themselves in a potentially life-threatening situation.

Aside from the physical dangers that you may face as a member of law enforcement, a high-stress job like this comes with a high level of responsibility. Other criminal justice-related jobs can be hazardous as well. Probation and parole officers, for example, may work with people who have been convicted of violent crimes and are at risk of committing them again.

Certain criminal justice jobs necessitate working long hours.

There are many late nights spent reading, writing essays, and studying for exams when you’re in college. However, this is good preparation because some of the jobs for which you may be qualified after graduation require you to work long hours. Let us return to our earlier police officer example.

In some cases, you may work a 10- or 12-hour shift. If there is an emergency or the department is shorthanded, you may be required to work for extended periods of time. Another example is that some jobs in this field necessitate working nights, weekends, and holidays.

Probation officers are a good example. If you want to work as a probation officer, you’ll have to be on call and may have to make house visits beyond normal business hours. The idea is that if you think college is hard work, your future career in criminal justice will be far harder – and often at odd hours of the day.

Is a Degree in Criminal Justice Appropriate for You?

For the most part, majoring in criminal justice can be a rewarding experience with numerous benefits both during and after your studies. However, it is also important to consider the disadvantages of majoring in this field. You can make an informed decision about your future and major in a field that aligns with your personal and professional goals by taking a holistic approach and thoroughly weighing the pros and cons.