| At first consideration, you might think a security | | | | finding more opportunities and much bigger |
| guard and an attorney don't have too much in | | | | paychecks waiting for them. |
| common. But let's dig a little deeper. There are some | | | | Consider for a moment the New York City Police |
| similarities in the type of occupation these individuals | | | | Department. When evaluating new applicants, their |
| have chosen. | | | | policy states, "Earning an associate's degree or |
| Of course, not all security guards are created, or | | | | bachelor's degree will set you apart from other |
| paid, equal. While some guards are content to walk | | | | candidates." But it's not just the rookies. Their policy |
| the beat and pass the time, there's another group | | | | also makes it clear that when considering officers for |
| that take it to a whole new level. These are the | | | | promotions, that again "...holding a degree will set an |
| degreed security guards. These guards are the cream | | | | officer apart in the testing for promotional positions." |
| of the crop, so to speak. They also command a | | | | The job outlook for law enforcement professionals is |
| higher paycheck. | | | | outstanding. Crime remains a pressing concern as the |
| And then you've got the lawyers. Once again, not all | | | | government and state try to find effective solutions. |
| are created equal. Some college graduates, with no | | | | According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there will |
| better alternative, decide law school is a suitable | | | | be a 29% rise in demand by the year 2010 for police |
| choice. Meanwhile there's another group of students | | | | officers, FBI agents, detectives, and other related |
| who already hold a degree in criminal justice and are | | | | positions. The only possible remedy is to keep |
| well equipped to advance their studies and their | | | | staffing trained individuals in both the private and |
| careers. They're starting out with a clear advantage. | | | | public sectors. It's a simple case of supply and |
| Beyond that, what else do they have in common? | | | | demand. As our needs as a society increase so does |
| Increasingly, technology is meeting law enforcement. | | | | the pay rate of law enforcement professionals. |
| This means that a number of these professionals | | | | What's more, many employers will provide tuition |
| have obtained a criminal justice degree online. | | | | assistance or even full reimbursement for a criminal |
| Available degrees range all the way from associate's | | | | justice degree online. And pursuing this dream won't |
| to Master's. Of course, the level of education a | | | | take time away from work or family. An online |
| student chooses will have a direct impact on the | | | | education allows students the convenience of learning |
| aspect of the field in which they will work. | | | | when and where they want. |
| It's not just the lawyers and security guards. Police | | | | The bottom line is this: a criminal justice degree online |
| officers, court clerks, bailiffs, probation officers, | | | | makes the most sense for anyone looking to make |
| paralegals, detectives, drug enforcement agents, | | | | the world a better place. And that's whether they |
| juvenile delinquency case managers and corrections | | | | are already employed in the industry, and looking to |
| officers across the country have successfully | | | | climb up the ladder, or whether they are just setting |
| obtained their criminal justice degrees online. And | | | | out to pursue a job in the field. |
| once they have completed their programs, they're | | | | |