Oftentimes, future law enforcement officers must complete criminal justice classes before being accepted into a law enforcement academy and most entry-level Maine criminal justice jobs will require candidates to hold a bachelor degree in criminal justice prior to consideration. Many prospective law school students also choose to gain an understanding of criminal justice before pursuing a law degree by completing an undergraduate criminal justice program.
Examples of popular criminal justice careers include police patrol officer, sheriff’s patrol officer, correctional treatment specialist and probation officer. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 648,000 police and sheriff’s patrol officers working in the United States for an average annual income of $52,810 in 2006. The bureau also reports that there were 94,000 probation officers and correctional treatment specialists making an average wage of $42,500 in that same year. Each of these careers is reportedly poised for an 11% increase in job openings by 2016, resulting in an additional 80,000 criminal justice jobs across the country. Maine criminal justice careers can be expected to see a similar growth in job opportunities.
If you are ready to begin working towards a Maine criminal justice career, or would like to receive more information about the field of criminal justice, browse through our comprehensive list of schools offering Maine criminal justice programs listed below.