subject: Criminal Justice Administration Programs [print this page] The criminal justice administration programs at colleges around the nation are preparing students for some of the most important careers of the day. American college students have many reasons to consider a career in criminal justice, and it will continue to be a valid choice for years and decades to come. If you want to serve your community and help make the world a better place in a profession with steady work and good pay, this could be the perfect degree for you to pursue. Following is a short explanation of what to expect in this type of degree program.
Many people pursue criminal justice administration degree programs because they want to be involved with work that helps make neighborhoods safer and gives back something positive to the community. The first step towards this goal will be the introductory course that provides students with a basic foundation of knowledge of the judicial system including attorneys, correctional officers, police officers and law enforcement in general. Once you learn what criminal justice professionals do and how the system works, then you will be ready to learn what it means to be a police officer in finer detail. After this your coursework will move on to the court system and the role of bailiffs, judges, juries, lawyers and other legal professionals.
The toughest part of the criminal justice system is the corrections system, which you will study after you have learned about the police force and the courts that send people into this system and/or prevent them from going into it. You should hopefully be ready at this point to understand and contemplate what an inmates life is like and what goes on in the various correctional facilities around the nation. You may even have an opportunity to visit correctional facilities in one or more of your classes.
Most criminal justice administration programs finish out with a study of the various issues facing the system today and classes focused on the administrative side of things. Many students complete an internship as well. After finishing this degree you should have a long career in criminal justice administration ahead of you.
