Q: I’m genuinely interested in criminal justice and criminology; nevertheless, i really do not like guns. I wouldn’t feel comfortable in a line of business where a weapon is required. It seems like every occupation in criminal justice calls for a gun (at least in United States). Is this true? Are there any career positions that i could possibly work in with a degree in Criminal Justice, Criminology, or a similar program without having to carry a gun? I am not interested in the legal field (i don’t want to be a lawyer or a paralegal).
A: There is a number of careers in Criminal Justice, Criminology, and similar fields that don’t require you to carry a gun:
- teach – high school with a Bachelor’s degree (plus state certification)
- teach community college and university level with a Master’s degree (a PhD is preferable)
- work in private security as a consultant, loss prevention officer, or private eye (PI)
- work as a researcher at a private firm, university, or a government agency
- work in forensic sciences and crime scene investigation – I would recommend a degree in Criminal Justice with a Forensics concentration, or a degree specifically in Forensic Science
- work as a correction officer – usually no gun is “required”, but gun training may be imposed
- work as a youth counselor – this position is in high demand
- work as a substance abuse counselor
- work as a probation officer
- work in local, county, state, and federal government – or – work in academia or for yourself
Consequently, the question to ask yourself is:
is the Criminal Justice, Criminology, or a similar degree the right fit for me? It may not be, as the criterion — not to carry a gun — may diminish the pool of careers available to you.
Consider the following options while keeping Criminal Justice or Criminology in mind:
- Political Science – there are concentrations like National Security and Transnational Crime which may be of interest to you.
- Forensic Sciences - more science based courses – any background in biology, chemistry, and physics may help.
Note: There are more opportunities for civilian jobs (no gun required) to those who possess a Master’s degree or better.
You might also like:
- What’s the Difference Between Criminal Justice and Criminology?
- What Can I Do With an Online Criminal Justice Degree?
- Mystery Reader, Criminal Justice Grad School, Few Questions
- In Law Enforcement, What Does LEO Mean?
- How Do You Become an Investigator or a Detective?
- Crime 360 A&E’s Forensic Criminal Investigations Show
- Criminal Justice Degree Not Always A Requirement
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
One of the few criminal justice careers that doesn’t require the use of firearms is that of Loss Prevention which is one of the fastest growing sub-fields in the field of criminal justice. In essence your mind is the only weapon you will need to carry.
Im just starting to look at what I want to study.
I know i wanna do something in the criminal justice area( forensic psychologist, crime investigator, etc..) and maybe a lawyer.
can you give me few options of what i can do?
I’m a social person,I’m not exactly good at biology, and i dont wanna have to handle a gun either.
check out the careers section – on top. You’ll see that there are more career options.
Maybe you can also consider the field of academics – teacher, professor, researcher. All the other ones you’ve mentioned are great options, but with no science based courses and no guns you have to understand that your role in the criminal justice system would have to be more specialized – one that’s not the norm.
If you speak a foreign language, you can be a translator or an analyst for one of the organizations under the Department of Homeland Security.
Wow. I normally like the articles here. I am so surprised that loss prevention (paul blartin) and PI (cheesy mustache not included) made this list. Why on earth would someone with a baccalaureate degree work in loss prevention or as a PI considering that most of these positions start out at 25 or 50 cents over minimum wage. This is like telling someone to go major in physics and work in fast food….. you know so that you have a great idea of how fries cook.
And as to the “learn to speak foreign languages you can get a job as a fed or in homeland security” rumor. I have been hearing this for a long time and have never seen it happen. My parents gardener speaks 3 languages and i doubt he makes much money. If you want people who speak other languages, all you have to do is go to the slums of big cities and you can find tons of people that will work for real cheap. Its basic economics: low barrier of entry to a field means low wages and little job security.
Hi,
I am going to be a sophomore in college this fall at a Massachusetts state school majoring in criminal justice. I have around a 3.5 GPA and will probably get my master’s. I do not want to be a cop. I would like to be something along the lines of a homicide detective but I do not want to put in years being a cop to get promoted and I would like a higher salary. I have asked some professors about this and they said to go federal. I know that there is not a lot of high-paying jobs in the criminal justice field, but do you have any advice for me if I do well in school and get an advanced degree on how to make a lot of money in this field? Thanks.
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for stopping by.
1. 9.9 times out of 10 you can’t be a detective unless you are a police officer first. Having that few years experience as a “cop”, at the very least, makes for a much better detective in my opinion.
2. Your professors are right. If you want to skip being a police officer, then yes, go Federal – the FBI has a homicide unit – minimum of a Bachelor level education need to be completed.
3. What is a high paying job to you? Most metropolitan police officers as well as FBI Special agents can count on about 50k and above to START. There are pay increases, overtime pay (which will be imminent), and other paid time and benefits. A graduate degree can help you put your foot in the door when it comes to being transferred to special units and status changes (promotions) – which usually equal a pay increase.
4. As for the advice, when you complete your Bachelor’s and Master’s, perhaps even a PhD, money should be the last motivator for you. Knowing what you know now, there aren’t too many high paying positions. Those that are, are for the most part offered to seasoned leaders or are administrative in nature. Best bet: show that you have what it takes to EARN the promotion and the money that comes with it. Nothing is given away for free, especially in law enforcement positions, unless of course the department/agency in question practices cronyism, which usually leads nowhere really fast (think of Federal probes in Chicago). The criminal justice system is much different than it was in the 80s and 90s – there’s more scrutiny and outspoken individuals that keep an eye on such practices.
I think that about covers it. Hope this helps.
Radek
I would like to study criminal justice. Do you know of any good school in the southbay area like torrance or carson gardena ect, that are accredited schools