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Administration of Justice

All areas of Administration of Justice require that individuals possess the personal and physical qualities essential to effective peace officers. Many employment opportunities currently exist for individuals desiring entrance into law enforcement or related fields at various governmental levels. Security and corrections are fast-growing professions. Individuals interested in these professions should understand that the work is demanding, requiring a combination of training, education, and experience, along with mental and physical stamina.

The Administration of Justice program is designed to develop a student’s understanding of the various operational functions within the criminal justice system. The educational emphasis will be the examination of crime causation, functions of law enforcement, criminal court system, and corrections. Students majoring in this subject area can prepare themselves for careers in law enforcement, corrections, and security at both the operational and administrative levels. For course descriptions, see Section IX of this catalog.

Careers in the criminal justice field are found at the federal, state, county, and city levels.

For employment at the federal level in such agencies as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Drug Enforcement
Agency (DEA), or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a bachelor's degree in accounting, computer information systems, or the physical sciences is preferred. Careers at the state, county, or city level usually require a high school diploma, but an associate's degree is preferable. Careers in law enforcement usually start with Police Academy Training. This modulated academy provides the opportunity to become a reserve officer while completing Levels II and III of training. A Level I graduate may elect to become a reserve officer or may apply for a full-time position with a law enforcement agency in California.

Careers in Forensics - the application of science and technology to the analysis of physical evidence - may be entered through the Field Evidence Technician course (AJ 67) and the Fingerprint Recognition and Classification course (AJ 111).
Courses in Forensic Biology and Forensic Chemistry offer preparation for students planning to transfer to bachelor's level programs, such as those at the following CSU campuses: Fullerton, Long Beach, Sacramento, and Stanislaus. Candidates with master's degrees in this field are being offered salaries of around $70,000.

Career Opportunities
Communication Technician
Correctional Officer
Criminologist
Deputy Sheriff
Forensic Chemist
Forensic Technician
Juvenile Correctional Office
Police Officer
Probation Officer
Security Manager
Security Officer
Special Agent/Investigator