By Dr. Matthew Loux and Bryce Loux | 08/21/2025
After receiving a high school diploma, many criminal justice students choose to pursue an associate degree program. If you’ve ever wondered about what can you do with an associate’s degree in criminal justice, the answer is quite a bit.
A criminal justice degree at the associate level provides the essential educational groundwork and training for someone seeking to pursue a career path in the criminal justice system. In an associate program, students typically study:
- Criminal law
- Policing
- Corrections
- The court/criminal justice system
- Ethics
After completing an associate degree in criminal justice, graduates may qualify for entry-level roles in law enforcement, social services, private security, or legal offices. These roles can be found across various criminal legal agencies, including police departments, courthouses, correctional facilities, and private security agencies.
Traditional Career Opportunities in the Criminal Justice System
Law enforcement roles are some of the potential career paths for students with a criminal justice associate degree. These jobs include:
- Municipal or campus police officer
- Transit and railroad police officer
- Sheriff’s deputy
- Border patrol agent or customs officer
Municipal or Campus Police Officer
Municipal and campus law enforcement officers work as the front line of public safety. These officers patrol and respond to emergencies.
Officers in the city police department or on a university campus are critical in enforcing the law and maintaining order. Their work involves:
- Conducting investigations
- Enforcing laws
- Solving crimes
- Building relationships within the community
To become a law enforcement officer, candidates typically must be 21 or older. They must pass:
- A written exam
- A fitness test
- A psychological evaluation
- A background check
Most agencies require police academy training. This training consists of physical conditioning alongside classroom work in ethics, law, firearms, and defensive tactics.
With experience, officers can move into specialized units – like K-9, homicide, or narcotics – and strive towards supervisory roles.
Officers can also shift to an administrative position or transition into crime scene investigators (or crime scene technicians) once they have sufficient knowledge and training. In this role, they secure crime scenes, collect evidence, and conduct surveillance.
Other officers choose to pursue federal roles with government agencies such as:
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI
- The U.S. Marshals Service
Transit and Railroad Police Officer
Transit and railroad police officers work in subways, railyards, and buses to ensure public safety and monitor the transit infrastructure. These transit and railroad police officers:
- Prevent vandalism
- Enforce transportation laws
- Investigate crimes committed on transit property
Their shifts can be highly variable and may include evenings and weekends. These positions demand keen attention to detail and maintaining composure in highly stressful environments. Training in law enforcement procedures, gained through a criminal justice degree, offers an advantage.
- Sheriff’s Deputy
Sheriff’s deputies serve counties by patrolling rural areas or working in county jails. Their duties may include transporting prisoners and providing courtroom security.
However, these officers are not city police. They work at the county level and are sometimes referred to as “patrol officers” or “correctional officers.”
Training requirements for these roles include passing civil service examinations, law enforcement academic requirements, and field training. The job consists of two distinct areas, which enable a great degree of autonomy and career growth in both operational patrol and correctional supervisory positions.
Border Patrol Agent or Customs Officer
Working as a border patrol agent or customs officer is a federal job that entails securing the borders or entry points of the country. This job requires:
- Checking cargo and passengers for illegal goods
- Enforcing immigration laws
- Investigating drug trafficking
Relocation, physical examinations, and thorough background checks are standard prerequisites for these positions. Being bilingual is a great advantage, and applicants who hold an associate degree in criminal justice are familiar with federal regulations, constitutional law, and investigative techniques.
Career Paths in Corrections and Probation
Correctional and probation careers allow graduates to play a crucial role in rehabilitation, community monitoring, and the broader justice process. These types of jobs include roles such as:
- Correctional officer
- Probation or patrol officer
Correctional Officer
A correctional officer maintains safety and order in jails and prisons. The duties involve:
- Supervising inmates
- Conducting searches
- Ensuring inmates obey the rules of the facility
This type of job requires vigilance and emotional stamina because officers work in high-stress environments. Their training includes:
- Defensive tactics
- Inmate rights
- First aid
- De-escalation techniques
With experience, officers may be promoted to sergeant or training officer, or they may transition to probation or parole services.
Probation Officer or Parole Officer
Probation or parole officers help monitor offenders who are granted probation by case officers. Along with other duties, these officers perform check-ins to monitor offenders’ movements after their release from:
- Correctional facilities
- Employment
- A residency associated with a case
These officers are also tasked with maintaining accurate records of information in case files.
These types of positions are employed in some government offices and might involve going to court or making site/home visits. These professionals typically hold at least an associate degree, which gives them insight into the legal system and rehabilitation processes.
Entry-Level Careers in the Legal and Court System
The courtroom and legal field offer several entry-level positions for criminal justice associate degree holders, ranging from clerical support to legal assistance. An associate degree in criminal justice can help students learn:
- Basic courtroom etiquette
- Courtroom functions
- Legal vocabulary
- Legal processes
These legal and court-related roles include:
- Court clerk
- Bailiff
- Legal or administrative assistant
Court Clerk
In the court system, court clerks manage case filings, legal civil documents, and scheduling. For the most part, the role of a court clerk requires solid organization skills.
Bailiff
Bailiffs enforce discipline, security, and orderly conduct in a courtroom. They will:
- Escort criminal offenders
- Handle any unruly behavior from people in the courtroom
- Interact with jurors
In addition, they often have police force training to assist them in their duties.
Legal or Administrative Assistant
In a law office, legal assistants help attorneys who specialize in criminal law by:
- Organizing relevant documents
- Drafting letters
- Arranging meetings
- Performing legal research
Legal assistants, also known as paralegals or administrative assistants, help lawyers by dealing with clients’ basic legal tasks. For instance, they conduct client interviews and process court filings or other legal documents, especially in small firms.
Graduates of a criminal justice program can choose to pursue work in administrative assistant positions in:
- Public defender offices
- District attorney’s offices
- Private law firms
Their foundational education helps these professionals understand legal materials, became more familiar with criminal law, and navigate the criminal legal system.
Careers in Private Security and Investigation
The private sector provides criminal justice graduates with flexible and expanding roles in security, investigations, and risk prevention. These roles include:
- Security officer
- Private investigator assistant
Security Officer
Private companies hire security officers to prevent crimes, handle emergencies, and monitor cameras. Private security is needed to protect people and assets in almost every sector – including:
- Healthcare
- Retail
- Education
- Finance
An associate degree in criminal justice offers an advantage in writing reports, responding to incidents, and analyzing criminal behavior relevant to the security field. Some roles, especially in hospitals or corporate environments, may require additional licensure or specialized job training.
Private Investigator Assistant
Private investigators work alongside attorneys and clients on legal, financial, or personal matters. In most states, becoming a full-fledged private investigator requires a license and some experience. However, graduates with an associate degree in criminal justice can assist licensed investigators with surveillance, background checks, and document research.
This field is popular among former law enforcement or military personnel. However, a background in criminal justice covers investigative ethics and techniques, providing a strong foundation for this type of work.
Careers in Victim Advocacy and Community Support
If you’re driven by a desire to support others, there are different roles that offer a chance to make a meaningful difference in your community. For example, you might choose to become a victim advocate assistant.
Victim advocates help individuals affected by crime by providing guidance to:
- Useful resources
- Legal navigation support
- Emotional aid
Victim advocate positions are often found in nonprofit organizations, police departments, or district attorneys’ offices.
Graduates with a criminal justice degree can assist professional victim advocates by managing referrals, paperwork, and outreach. This field of work greatly benefits from strong interpersonal and compassionate skills.
Why Additional Education and Certifications Are Useful
Earning a criminal justice associate degree is often just the start of a professional journey, whether that involves becoming:
- A law enforcement officer
- A crime scene technician
- A forensic science technician
- A probation officer
It opens additional opportunities to pursue further education such as a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree.
Job-related certifications such as Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), crime scene investigation (CSI), and security licensing are also helpful in expanding employment opportunities. Experience gained through working in a particular field is essential, and many agencies offer internal promotions over time.
Transferable Skills Gained from a Criminal Justice Degree
The skills obtained during criminal justice associate degree courses are helpful in all industries. These transferable skills can apply to careers in and out of the criminal justice system.
These transferable skills include:
- Critical thinking and problem-solving – Professionals in the criminal justice field need to analyze challenging problems with little data and arrive at time-sensitive decisions. This ability is enhanced through case studies and scenario-based courses.
- Communication and report writing – Incident reports, court testimonies, inter-departmental memos, and other legal documents need to be written with clarity and precision. An associate degree in criminal justice usually places a strong focus on writing skills, documentation, and legal vocabulary.
- Ethics and professionalism – Understanding the law and its ethics is fundamental in the criminal justice system, and actions taken can have legal ramifications. Students require courses in ethics to build self-respect and responsibility.
- Conflict resolution and de-escalation – Employees in community-based policing or corrections must constructively manage conflicts in a calm manner. Training in empathy and active listening provides the knowledge and skills needed for effective resolution.
- Teamwork and cultural competence – Interacting with the public and other professionals from different cultures requires collaborative skills. These skills are typically taught in most criminal justice programs.
Additional Ways to Build Law Enforcement Skills
Students wishing to pursue an associate degree in criminal justice can pursue different activities to improve their professional skills. These activities include:
- Internships, especially in court systems
- Ride-alongs with law enforcement officers from police departments or sheriff’s offices
- Volunteer opportunities with community outreach programs, reentry, and victim support services
- Networking, especially at public safety conferences
The Associate Degree in Criminal Justice at AMU
For students interested in acquiring a basic knowledge of the U.S. legal system, crime, and other criminal justice topics, American Military University (AMU) offers an online Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice. In this associate degree program, students will take courses in various subjects, including evidence and procedures, juvenile delinquency, intercultural communication. Other courses include an introduction to law enforcement, an introduction to the courts, and criminal justice administration.
Interested in learning more about this online associate degree? Visit AMU’s criminal justice degree program page for more information.
Note: This degree program is not designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in any country, state, province or other jurisdiction. This program has not been approved by any state professional licensing body and does not lead to any state-issued professional licensure.
