ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the realities and misconceptions of jobs in criminal justice and help students think about which of the many available career paths is the best fit for them. There are likely more job opportunities open to Criminal Justice and Criminology (CJC) graduates than students may have initially thought. The chapter links them into five main categories: law enforcement/security, judiciary/law/courts, corrections/counseling/juvenile justice, social services/victim advocacy, and teaching/research. For many CJC majors, the law enforcement careers that come to mind most readily are police officer, detective, and crime scene investigator. In the field of corrections, the most commonly thought-of careers involve the supervision of correctional populations: correctional officer, parole officer, and probation officer. Government agencies that interface with the CJS include social services, children's and family services, and housing and urban development. The chapter also addresses the skills that can help students work effectively and meaningfully with the populations that interact with the criminal justice systems (CJSs).
