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After spending 25 years in law enforcement, I believe I can offer some insight to help you make your decision. Consider the below points:

WHO - This can often be a deal-breaker for choosing a Criminal Justice degree. Federal Law Enforcement agencies prefer degrees in Law, Accounting, or Business - not Criminal Justice. State, County and Local law enforcement are not picky, and a Criminal Justice degree might help. CJ degrees are also good for corrections employment (i.e. the Prison Systems).

WHERE - Federal and State agencies can (and will) station you hither and yon at their pleasure. Good assignments are often tied to longevity and if you fall out of favor for some reason you might find yourself in a backwater with no hope of advancement. County and Local agencies tend to be smaller, but more geographically stable.

HOW MUCH - Federal employees make decent money and have a fairly constant salary range (with variances for certain localities). County and Local employees have salaries that are usually tied to geographic population density. The more people in and around the jurisdiction the more money is paid. In any event, CJ is not a money-making enterprise. The only way to break into the upper-middle class is by promoting high enough in the food chain of a substantial agency. This requires political skill in addition to training and hard work.

WHY - Do you dream of being a CSI Agent, or perhaps a Homicide Investigator? Chances are you can achieve it, but not anytime soon. Those positions are coveted and few, requiring a lot of experience, training and (in some cases) plain good luck. You will start at the bottom and work your way up. The smaller the agency, the fewer the opportunities.

REWARDS - Here is the rub. When asked, most law enforcement types will respond the same way to the question: "What made you go into law enforcement?". The standard reply is universally: "I like helping people". Which is almost always untrue. Most of us got into it because we thought it would be fun and exciting. However, many of us STAY in it because we discover that there IS a lot of satisfaction in helping people. It is often said that law enforcement is 90% boredom accented by 10% sheer terror. I think that is an apt statement; it's rather like riding in a golf cart that occasionally (and unexpectedly) transforms into a roller coaster.

FUTURE - The future of law enforcement is in always in limbo. Current projections are that there will not be enough qualified candidates to meet demand over the next 25 years. Already we are seeing such things as "signing bonuses" (some as high as the $10K offered by Dallas PD) - which is unprecedented in the public sector. Typically there are slumps in recruitment when the economy is doing well and gluts when the economy does poorly for an extended period.

BENEFITS - Government jobs offer stability and decent benefits. Civil Service guards against unjustified terminations and there is usually a pension plan built in to your salary model. You will certainly have medical insurance and some sort of dental plan. Additionally there are bonuses for longevity and special training.

Good luck on your choice!

Learn more about this author, Hugh McKelvy.
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