by Mike Churchill © 2006, All Rights Reserved

You probably once thought choosing a major was the most challenging decision in your life. However, when you're approaching graduation, you may find yourself faced with what seems like overwhelming career options.

As a criminal justice program graduate, you can have a long list of opportunities before you. By looking at the specifics of several career paths you may get a better idea of a job that appeals to you. For the purpose of our examples involving job responsibilities, I'll use the city of St. Louis. A college graduate with a criminal justice degree might elect to become an/a:

· Airport Security Officer

· Corrections Officer

· Probation Officer

· and much more

Let's look at two of these criminal justice careers.

Airport Security Officers

Airport Security Officers hold an extremely important position. As an Airport Security Officer in St. Louis, you would likely be required to identify dangerous objects and prevent those objects from being transported onto an aircraft. You will have to pass a strict federal screening in addition to meeting the required educational and physical requirements.

Probation Officer

In St. Louis, individuals who choose to pursue a career as a probation officer will be responsible for keeping track of those who are released from correctional facilities. Most criminals who are released on probation are required to hold a job, maintain a place of residence and live within the letter of the law. As a probation officer, you would conduct periodic meetings with individuals under your supervision to ensure they are following these and other stipulations of their release. Probation Officers (PO) in St. Louis usually work from an office but also make visits to parolee's workplaces and homes. POs may work with either adult or juvenile offenders.

Keep in mind that you may be required to obtain additional education and/or experience for employment in some positions.

Consider what is involved on a daily basis with the various criminal justice-related jobs. Add to the equation your personal likes and dislikes, and you'll be better prepared to choose the particular occupation that suits you best. Regardless of which profession you choose, a criminal justice degree can allow you the opportunity to make a truly noticeable difference to those in your community.

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