The Criminal Justice Field

In the 1960’s and before, law enforcement organizations were reactive when it came to combating crime. They worked hard in combating the re-occurrence of crime rather than the prevention. This attitude changed in the 1970’s when law enforcement organizations began to work tightly with communities to open the lines of communication hoping to address the root rather than the fruit of crime. There is absolutely no doubt that after the events of September 11, 2001, this approach to crime fighting has increased 10-fold.

In the 1960’s and before, law enforcement organizations were reactive when it came to combating crime. They worked hard in combating the re-occurrence of crime rather than the prevention. This attitude changed in the 1970’s when law enforcement organizations began to work tightly with communities to open the lines of communication hoping to address the root rather than the fruit of crime. There is absolutely no doubt that after the events of September 11, 2001, this approach to crime fighting has increased 10-fold.

There is no doubt that terrorism is the number one focus today of law enforcement. For this reason, the criminal justice system cannot afford to wait until something happens before it acts, therefore, the methods of reaction have long since been left behind. The law enforcement community must be proactive to achieve its objective and save thousands of lives. To do this, they need individuals trained in investigation, analysis and police operations.

There are many careers that can be pursued with a criminal justice and/or law enforcement degree. Consider the following jobs and agencies in the criminal justice field.

Probation/Parole Officer Policeman Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Department of Homeland Security Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Corrections Officer Department of Public Safety

Because of the nature of the positions listed above, one of the most important things necessary for maintaining these jobs is training. The right school will help you with the right training.

Last updated: November 2, 2006 at 12:57 PM

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