Criminal Justice
Directory
Officer Mark Dickerson
Professor
903-693-1190
mdickerson@panola.edu
Is there a career for me in Criminal Justice?
Students who study criminal justice may seek a career as a law enforcement officer,
adult or juvenile probation officer, investigator for the public defenders office, community treatment facilitators,
correctional officer, program evaluator, court administrator, customs agent, crime
scene technician, or private security guard, among others.
Criminal Justice
Careers in Criminal Justice include a wide variety of job opportunities. There are approximately 60 different Federal Law Enforcement Agencies and numerous State and local law enforcement agencies that vary from State to State.
Positions within Courts include bailiffs (from law enforcement), Court Clerks, Court Reporters, Judges, Prosecutors, and Defense Attorneys. Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys, and most Judges are required to have a law degree, which often includes a certain amount of Criminal Justice classes.
Then there is Corrections. There are Federal and State Corrections as well as private industry positions in jails and prisons. In addition to correctional officer positions and the administrative careers they may lead to, there are numerous supplemental positions in Corrections as well. Positions within corrections often involve counselors, therapist, nurses, educators, theologians, and many others. Have you ever considered Juvenile or Adult Probation? Those positions are available in both Federal and State Agencies. What about Parole? The reality is Criminal Justice is way much more than just “being a cop.”