Making decisions about your career isn’t easy, especially in this day and age when people are presented with various possibilities for how they want their future professional lives to look. Fortunately, a career in criminal justice opens a whole new universe of opportunities, giving you the chance to do good in the world and provide a helping hand to those who need it the most.
In a society that is becoming more focused and sensitive to social justice issues, there has never been a greater need for young, talented, and enthusiastic individuals to enter into criminal justice professions than there is today. This is made increasingly apparent when you consider that the United States is the world’s leader in incarceration, an accolade that many would take exception to. In fact, almost 2 million individuals are currently incarcerated in the United States’ prisons and jails, which represents a 500 percent rise in the last 40 years.
On that note, if you have a passion for justice and a desire to make a difference in your community, the Criminal Justice Associate Degree Program at ASA College New York may be the program for you. With direct links into the NYPD and affiliations with positions in the private security sector, ASA College is one of the finest places to prepare for a long and rewarding career in this ever-popular field.
What is criminal justice?
The criminal justice system has three major components: law enforcement, courts, and corrections. Each of these branches must function properly to sustain law and order in a society. Given the state of the current political and social climate, it is now more important than ever to have educated, honest, and competent professionals working in these sectors.
This is due to the fact that the criminal justice system is one of the only tools that nations have at their disposal to protect the innocent, prosecute offenders, and provide a fair justice process for all – keeping its citizens safe. With that said, let’s take a look at five reasons why you should consider a degree in Criminal Justice at ASA College.
A versatile career
Studying for a degree in Criminal Justice opens up a wide array of possibilities for successful graduates who will have the ability to choose between several prominent career routes. This gives you the chance to choose a position that best suits you as a person and your skills.
Some of the covered areas in the course include sociology concepts, psychology and human behavior, law and criminology, leadership and management, analysis, and critical evaluation. The skills and experience you will acquire from the course are all highly transferable and will help make you more of a well-rounded person, which can profoundly affect other areas of your life.
ASA offers a diverse culture
One of the original objectives for ASA College was to assist students who were underrepresented in postsecondary education in discovering the best and most effective way to find graduates a job. In many ways, that hasn’t changed. As a result, ASA College boasts one of the most diverse ranges of students in the nation, helping each of them to become responsible professionals committed to lifelong learning. Of course, this exposure to diversity during education can play a large role in helping students understand different cultures and ethnicities, which is a huge factor in success in this field.
Criminal justice graduates are in demand.
The vast majority go to college in the hopes of landing a job after their graduation. However, the unfortunate truth it’s that the job market is not what it once was, and now many hiring sectors have become saturated, meaning that graduates are finding it hard to find a job. The good news for those seeking a career in Criminal Justice is that the job market is growing. Demand for workers in corrections, the police force, and many other areas of public safety resign each year, and so do the salaries. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 5% to 14% increase in average annual earnings nationwide across most Criminal Justice jobs.
A chance to help others
Finally, one of the biggest draws for a career in Criminal Justice is to allow yourself to do the right thing and help others. The bonus is that you will get paid for it too. It’s important to note that a career in Criminal Justice is so much more than just taking down criminals and bringing the “bad guys” to justice. Instead, it offers you the chance to directly impact local communities and protect people, execute justice, solve important cases, enforces the law, and increase a community’s quality of life. It’s a truly rewarding career for those who have a passion for justice, integrity, and honor.
Taking the next step
Above all, you must take the time to strongly consider whether or not a career in Criminal Justice is for you. As mentioned, there are many plus points to dedicating yourself to a career in this field, such as developing highly sought-after skills, a wide array of job opportunities, and the chance to do right in the world while getting paid.
With that said, a career in Criminal Justice requires passion, determination, and perseverance, not only during your years in college but once you get out into the working world too. As mentioned, social justice issues are becoming somewhat of a boiling pot at the moment across the US nation, which is why we need people who are dedicated to not only reaching their personal goals and dreams but to be a positive impact on their communities, the nation, and the world as a whole.
