These, of course, are only a few examples of the multitude of South Dakota criminal justice careers available. Some popular choices, such as correctional treatment specialist, probation officer, sheriff’s patrol officer and police patrol officer are good examples of this growing field, and can act as indicators of the expected growth in criminal justice over the next few years. For example, 648,000 police and sheriff’s patrol officers and 94,000 probation officers and correctional treatment specialists worked in the U.S. in 2006. According to projections published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, all four of these criminal justice professions will see an 11% increase in employment opportunities by 2016, meaning 80,000 additional jobs in the criminal justice field, just in these professions. Other criminal justice careers are expected to expand at the same rate both in South Dakota and across the country.
Most entry-level criminal justice careers require candidates to hold a bachelor degree in criminal justice, and many law enforcement academies require criminal justice coursework prior to admittance; therefore, if you are interested in entering a South Dakota criminal justice career, you will need to find a criminal justice program that can provide you with the schooling you need to reach your goals.
Find the South Dakota criminal justice program that is right for you by browsing through the below list of schools.