5 HOMELAND SECURITY JOBS TO GET WITH A CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREE

Homeland Security Jobs with a Degree in Criminal Justice

• Border Patrol
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• Crime Prevention Specialist
• Criminal Intelligence Analyst
• Cybercrimes Agent

As concerns with security for our property, people and borders increase, so does the need for qualified Homeland Security professionals, which has many wondering what type of Homeland Security jobs are available with a criminal justice degree. The good news is that criminal justice is a vast field with many career options, and there are many Homeland Security positions for criminal justice graduates. Homeland Security positions are very competitive, but there are and will continue to be various opportunities for qualified individuals.

See our ranking of the 50 Best Value Colleges for a Criminal Justice Degree.

1. Border Patrol

The Border Patrol, which is one of the nation's largest border security agencies, is responsible for more than 2,000 miles of coastline as well as 6,000 miles of land border the U.S. shares with Canada and Mexico. A border patrol agent's job is to keep the U.S. border safe. This position can be dangerous and difficult with the agent often required to put in long hours. Their duties include utilizing various types of surveillance, watching for illegal aliens, performing farm and traffic checks and patrolling the waters around Puerto Rico and Florida. This position does offer many chances for advancement.

2. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, also called ICE agents, have the job of preventing the illegal trafficking of goods into the U.S. and preventing illegal immigration activities. With the increased need for national security and better border control, ICE agents deal with many issues, including child exploitation and human trafficking; intelligence gathering and various types of cybercrimes. They work not only with Homeland Security but also U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Although an individual may get this job with an undergraduate criminal justice degree, a master's degree is generally preferred.

3. Crime Prevention Specialist

While many criminal justice positions begin their work after a crime is committed, a crime prevention specialist's job is to prevent crime. Crime prevention specialists play a vital role in the criminal justice field because their job is to keep our people and properties safe by reducing crime as much as possible. Their job duties include analyzing crime data and statistics, predicting future crime in a certain area and developing prevention methods. Crime prevention specialists also try to reduce or correct the settings that initiate abuse, harassment or discrimination. They work for both private and public settings and are often hired with an associate degree in criminal justice.

4. Criminal Intelligence Analyst

Criminal intelligence analysts look at intelligence or information, analyze associations between different items of intelligence and predict specific behavior patterns. They must have good analytical skills because analyzing pictures and even scattered information is a large part of their job. Criminal intelligence analysts working with Homeland Security examine and interpret threats to national security. They study and analyze Internet chatter, top-secret reports, emails and satellite images for possible terrorist threats or activities.

5. Cybersecurity

With cybersecurity one of the top threats faced in the United States today, cybersecurity professionals are highly in demand in all areas. It's such a necessity that the Department of Homeland Security has its own national cybercrime department. As quickly as individuals are pursuing degrees in cybersecurity, colleges are just as quickly developing programs to provide the world with certified professionals skillful in detecting and preventing cyber attacks. Computer specialists with knowledge of cybersecurity are in demand and have the potential to earn good salaries.

Homeland Security's goal is not just to protect the United States from foreign attacks but also to prepare us for disasters and threats at home. U.S. News & World Report states that Homeland Security and criminal justice jobs continue to be in demand and are predicted to have good job growth. Candidates wanting to play a role in helping the country can choose from many Homeland Security jobs with a criminal justice degree.