Law enforcement agencies, such as police departments, have the core responsibility of safeguarding their communities, inflicting the law at the local, state, or federal level , and arresting or reproving those who go against it.
Law enforcement officers operate within their communities, and are on the frontline of public service. They work directly with people, in a variety of scenarios.
In contrast, Court and Corrections professionals work more closely with criminals and other members of the Criminal Justice System. Because criminal justice is such a broad field, there are many career opportunities within it.
When you study criminal justice, you can pursue a career working with criminals corrections , catching criminals law enforcement , or delivering justice in the court of law judicial system. Some of the most exciting criminal justice careers today include:. As you may have gathered, some of the above careers fall within the law enforcement sector of the U.
Criminal Justice System. If you are aspiring to pursue a career in law enforcement specifically, you may consider some of these popular job titles:. Some schools offer law enforcement degrees, while others offer a broader criminal justice education. Officers are dedicated people willing to put their own safety on the line to protect others. They have to make quick decisions under pressure. If you have an interest in criminal justice, you are starting in the right place, but be sure you are prepared for what these careers demand.
Police officers patrol neighborhoods and cities, enforce laws, respond to emergencies, make arrests, conduct traffic stops, write reports, testify in court, and collect and analyze evidence. To thrive as a police officer you must have certain skills and be:. Working as a correctional officer is similar to police work, but there are some crucial differences.
Like police officers, they enforce rules and protect people. They also must establish relationships with inmates, treat them with respect, yet be firm and maintain order, work with inmates to help rehabilitate them, counsel them, and lead them in activities.
Correctional officers also make reports and maintain records on inmate conduct and any infractions. To be a correctional officer, you must be:. The requirements for becoming a police officer vary widely by both state and department. In Florida, the Department of Law Enforcement sets minimum standards for both police and correctional officers. Each individual department may then set additional standards.
In Florida, officers must:. It is important to remember that these are the minimum requirements. Many departments throughout the state and in other states require more skills and training. It is not unusual for departments to require that applicants have some type of post-high school degree.
For example, in Florida, the Miami Beach Police Department recently added the requirement that new applicants have a college degree. A college degree is less typically required for correctional officers, although may be necessary for those interested in advancing into the position of a probation officer. You should know, however, that there are some other options in criminal justice. Private security is an important part of keeping people safe and there are many opportunities to work for companies and individuals in this capacity.
Private investigators do detective work, but are not official officers. State patrol officers will likely spend most of their time in a vehicle responding to roadside incidents and enforcing traffic laws.
Municipal police might split their time between vehicles, their precinct and really any other place they are responsible for monitoring. The BLS reports that police work can be physically demanding as well as psychologically challenging. So what do you need to be effective in these roles? One way to determine that is to take a look at the specific skills employers want from job applicants for these roles.
We analyzed over 5, correctional officer job postings and over 20, police officer job postings from the last year to find five top skills employers were seeking. Both types of officers also need soft skills like communication, writing and computer literacy—as well as the physical ability to maintain control in a situation. Both police officers and corrections officers can routinely encounter unpleasant scenes and work closely with people in intense suffering, so mental toughness and the ability to manage stress in a healthy way is important.
Committing to one of these careers paths is a big step, so it only makes sense to research the job market. From to , the BLS projects a 7 percent decline in employment of correctional officers due to state and local budget constraints, the high cost of keeping people in prison and state laws endeavoring to prioritize more economic alternatives to prison where possible.
Generally speaking, police officers have higher earning potential. For police officers, education requirements are a bit more varied. All agencies require at least a high school diploma and many ask for a college degree or completion of a certain number of college courses. The BLS notes that after these requirements are met, applicants must graduate from a state-approved training academy—like the Rasmussen College Law Enforcement program in the state of Minnesota.
Both of these careers require applicants to pass a background check and meet certain age and physical standards—which will vary according to the position and employer. Now that you know more about what a correctional officer vs. If you are thinking a police officer career seems more appealing, check out the Rasmussen College Law Enforcement programs offered in Minnesota.
The prosecutor must prove they have probable cause that the defendant is the one who committed the crime, and the defense ensures the rights of the accused get upheld while defending their client. Judges are important and often get referred to as an impartial moderator or referee in the courtroom. The judge receives guidance and assistance from several sources in order to sentence a defendant.
Over time, Congress has established minimum and maximum punishments, and the United States Sentencing Commissions has produced a set of sentencing guidelines that recommend certain punishments for certain crimes while considering various factors. Further, the judge will look at a pre-sentence report and consider statements from the victims, as well as the defendant and lawyers. The judge may consider a variety of aggravating or mitigating factors.
These include whether the defendant has committed the same crime before, whether the defendant has expressed regret for the crime and the nature of the crime itself. If a defendant is convicted, then that defendant is found guilty. Let us imagine surveillance camera caught the robber downtown and fingerprints that were left behind matched the offender; this would make a conviction more likely. This phase is known as adjudication. If found guilty, the court is responsible for handing down a punishment.
In the vast majority of criminal cases, the judge decides the sentencing hearing, but in some cases, a jury determines the outcome. Although this was a brief overview, it is essential to know that the courts charge defendants, holding a preliminary hearing, arraignment, potential plea bargains, adjudication, and sentencing.
After a defendant is found guilty, they have the right to appeal the outcome if they believe they were wrongly convicted or the sentence was too harsh. An appeal is not another trial, but an opportunity for the defendant to try to raise specific errors that might have occurred at trial. A common appeal is that a decision from the judge was incorrect — such as whether to suppress certain evidence or to impose a certain sentence. Appeals are complicated and sometimes result in the case going back to the trial court.
A conviction can get reversed, a sentence altered, or a new trial may be ordered altogether if the Appeals Court decides that particular course of action. If a circuit court judge decides the appeal, then a defendant can try to appeal that decision to the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.
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