Department Department of of
Criminal Justice, Criminal Justice, Forensic Science and Forensic Science and
Legal StudiesLegal Studies
Criminal Criminal JusticeJustice
Skills Needed for a Career Skills Needed for a Career in Law Enforcementin Law Enforcement
Communication: Communication: oral and writtenoral and written
InvestigationInvestigation
Critical thinking Critical thinking and problem and problem solvingsolving
FirearmsFirearms
Knowledge of Knowledge of computerscomputers
Conflict Conflict managementmanagement
Training and Education Training and Education Needed Needed
High School High School 60 hours of College Credit60 hours of College Credit Associate of Arts DegreeAssociate of Arts Degree Bachelor’s Degree for the Rank Bachelor’s Degree for the Rank
of Lieutenantof Lieutenant Master’s Degree for Captain and Master’s Degree for Captain and
HigherHigher
Criminal Justice Criminal Justice Program OptionsProgram Options
Certificate - 30 creditsCertificate - 30 credits
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) – 62 credits– 62 credits
Associate of Arts (A.A.) – 62 creditsAssociate of Arts (A.A.) – 62 credits
Transfer to receive a B.A. or B.S.Transfer to receive a B.A. or B.S.
Criminal Justice CurriculumCriminal Justice Curriculum
Program concentrationProgram concentration
Electives and supporting coursesElectives and supporting courses
Core requirementsCore requirements
Career Opportunities Career Opportunities Available in Law Available in Law
EnforcementEnforcement Police Officer: Municipal, County or Police Officer: Municipal, County or
State jurisdictions State jurisdictions Sheriff’s DeputySheriff’s Deputy State TrooperState Trooper Dept. of Motor VehiclesDept. of Motor Vehicles Dept. of Natural ResourcesDept. of Natural Resources College Campus or University PoliceCollege Campus or University Police CorrectionsCorrections
Federal Law Enforcement Federal Law Enforcement Positions: Sworn OfficersPositions: Sworn Officers
FBIFBI
DEADEA
ATFATF
U.S. MarshalsU.S. Marshals
Secret ServiceSecret Service
CIACIA
U.S. Postal U.S. Postal ServiceService
Border PatrolBorder Patrol
Homeland Homeland SecuritySecurity
Other Career Options inOther Career Options in Criminal Justice Criminal Justice
SecretarySecretary
BailiffBailiff
Clerk Clerk
CriminologistCriminologist
Juvenile ServicesJuvenile Services
Counselor Counselor
ResearchResearch
Security Security
Salary and BenefitsSalary and Benefits
$24,000-$32,000 $24,000-$32,000 Starting (varies) Starting (varies)
$28,000-$55,000 $28,000-$55,000 Midrange (varies)Midrange (varies)
Workman’s Workman’s CompensationCompensation
Life InsuranceLife Insurance RetirementRetirement Deferred Deferred
CompensationCompensation MedicalMedical Take Home Car Take Home Car College College
IncentivesIncentives
Getting StartedGetting Started
Internships Internships
Ride along ProgramsRide along Programs
ToursTours
Explorer’s ProgramsExplorer’s Programs
Criminal Justice WebsitesCriminal Justice Websites
www.geocities.com/cjinfocenterwww.geocities.com/cjinfocenter
www.copcareer.comwww.copcareer.com
www.cjed.com/careerwww.cjed.com/career
http://talkjustice.comhttp://talkjustice.com
Law Enforcement: Law Enforcement: The Real DealThe Real Deal
ProsPros::
– Helping others who Helping others who cannot help cannot help themselvesthemselves
– Serving the Serving the communitycommunity
– Being part of the Being part of the solution and not the solution and not the problemproblem
ConsCons::
– Highest county Highest county crime rate in the crime rate in the state (PG)state (PG)
– No appreciationNo appreciation
– Divorce, substance Divorce, substance abuse, and suicideabuse, and suicide
ForensicForensic Science Science
The ProfessionThe ProfessionApplying science to the legal Applying science to the legal
processprocess
Identification and evaluation of Identification and evaluation of evidence related to criminal evidence related to criminal investigationsinvestigations
Advocate for the truthAdvocate for the truth
Forensic Science Program Forensic Science Program OptionsOptions
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) – 65 - 68 credits– 65 - 68 credits
Associate of Science (A.S) - 62 Associate of Science (A.S) - 62 creditscredits
Transfer to receive B.S.Transfer to receive B.S.
Post-baccalaureate studentsPost-baccalaureate students
Forensic Science Forensic Science CurriculumCurriculum
Program concentrationProgram concentration
Electives and supporting coursesElectives and supporting courses
Core requirementsCore requirements
Science!Science!
Forensic Science Career Forensic Science Career FieldsFields
Anthropology Anthropology and archaeologyand archaeology
Artistry and facial Artistry and facial reconstructionreconstruction
BallisticsBallistics BiologyBiology Chemistry and Chemistry and
toxicologytoxicology Computer crimesComputer crimes
Crime scene Crime scene investigationinvestigation
Digital imaging Digital imaging and enhancementand enhancement
DNA analysisDNA analysis EntomologyEntomology FingerprintsFingerprints Firearms and tool Firearms and tool
marksmarks
Forensic Science Career Forensic Science Career FieldsFields Fish and wildlifeFish and wildlife
Footwear and tire Footwear and tire trackstracks
MedicineMedicine NursingNursing OdontologyOdontology Pathology and Pathology and
death death investigationinvestigation
Psychology and Psychology and psychiatrypsychiatry
Questioned Questioned documents and documents and handwritinghandwriting
Trace evidenceTrace evidence Voice and Voice and
speech analysisspeech analysis
Education, Skills and Education, Skills and Experience RequiredExperience Required
MinimumMinimum: Bachelor’s degree in : Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology or forensic chemistry, biology or forensic sciencescience
Internships: paid and volunteerInternships: paid and volunteer
Many jobs are entry level/trainee Many jobs are entry level/trainee positionspositions
Where to Look for Where to Look for EmploymentEmployment
www.ascld.org/employmentwww.ascld.org/employment
www.theiai.org/jobswww.theiai.org/jobs
www.crime-scene-investigatowww.crime-scene-investigator.net/employmentr.net/employment
Professional AssociationsProfessional Associations Join regional associations as a Join regional associations as a
student member: student member:
International Association for International Association for Identification (Identification (IAIIAI) – parent body and ) – parent body and Chesapeake Bay DivisionChesapeake Bay Division
American Academy of Forensic Sciences American Academy of Forensic Sciences ((AAFSAAFS))
Books and PublicationsBooks and Publications
Familiarize yourself with Familiarize yourself with forensic science literature:forensic science literature:
Criminalistics: An Introduction to Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic ScienceForensic Science, Saferstein, Saferstein
Forensic Science: An introduction Forensic Science: An introduction to Scientific and Investigative to Scientific and Investigative TechniquesTechniques, James and Nordby, James and Nordby
Journal of Forensic SciencesJournal of Forensic Sciences
Forensic Science WebsitesForensic Science Websites
http://http://forensic.toforensic.to
www.crimescene.comwww.crimescene.com
www.crime-scene-investigator.newww.crime-scene-investigator.nett
www.forensicpage.comwww.forensicpage.com
ParalegalParalegal Studies Studies
What is a Paralegal/What is a Paralegal/Legal Assistant?Legal Assistant?
A person who performs substantive A person who performs substantive legal work that requires knowledge legal work that requires knowledge of the law and legal conceptsof the law and legal concepts
Reduce legal expensesReduce legal expenses
Increase availability of servicesIncrease availability of services
Where Are Paralegals Where Are Paralegals Employed?Employed?
Law offices, courts, legal clinicsLaw offices, courts, legal clinics
Government agenciesGovernment agencies
Banks, insurance and accounting Banks, insurance and accounting agenciesagencies
Other agencies: medical, environmentalOther agencies: medical, environmental
Job Skills and TasksJob Skills and Tasks
Interviewing, investigation, writingInterviewing, investigation, writing
Legal and factual researchLegal and factual research
Draft pleadings, agreements, policy, Draft pleadings, agreements, policy, legal memos and briefslegal memos and briefs
Assist in trial preparation and at trialAssist in trial preparation and at trial
Paralegal Studies Program Paralegal Studies Program OptionsOptions
Certificate – 33 creditsCertificate – 33 credits
Associate of Applied Science Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) – 68 credits(A.A.S.) – 68 credits
Paralegal Studies Paralegal Studies CurriculumCurriculum
Program concentrationProgram concentration
Electives and supporting Electives and supporting coursescourses
Core requirementsCore requirements
Paralegal WebsitesParalegal Websites
www.paralegals.orgwww.paralegals.org
www.lawinfo.comwww.lawinfo.com
www.law.com/career_centerwww.law.com/career_center