Top 14 MBA Careers In Criminal Justice

The field of criminal justice is incredibly broad, and there are many different career opportunities available. More and more commonly, these positions will require some sort of graduate degree. In the past, this would focus on law or other elements of criminal justice, but those who have completed an MBA degree are also in high demand today. So what are the top MBA careers in criminal justice?

1. Corrections Administrator

The corrections administrator ensures that a correctional facility is safe and secure. This person will manage the corrections officers and ensure staffing levels are appropriate. The prison wardens will report back to the corrections administrator on issues affecting both inmates and staff.

2. Probation or Parole Officer

The probation or parole officer will work with those who have committed offenses, and who are ready to reintegrate into society. Probation officers work with those who have been sentenced directly to probation after an offense, while parole officers work with those who are released from prison. Both, however, have very similar roles, ensuring that the offenders receive training, rehabilitation services, counseling, and job opportunities, while at the same time ensuring they do not return to a life of crime.

3. Correctional Treatment Specialist

The correctional treatment specialist will usually work for the federal government, and go into correctional facilities in order to review how inmates behave within the facility. This person will then write reports on this behavior, and this information can be used to help with their individual rehabilitation, and also with improvements of the correctional system as a whole.

4. Court Administrator

The court administrator will be responsible for the flow of cases within the court system. This person will maintain the schedules of the judges and the courtrooms, as well as ensure that attorneys and mediators have conference rooms available to them. He or she will also provide human resource services for non-judicial personal. Sometimes, this person may also have budget management responsibilities.

5. FBI Agent

This is a dangerous job, and one that is very hard to get into. The FBI agent position is also an incredibly well paid one, but it means that this person has to be headhunted first, after which background checks and examinations will be conducted. Those who are successful will enter the FBI Academy, which is very difficult to pass.

6. Private Investigator

In the movies, it seems that private investigators are all ex-police offers who have gone off the rail and work out of shady offices just to earn enough to get by. In real life, they actually earn a lot of money, and they work very closely with police departments, rather than being in constant competition.

7. Intelligence Analyst

Intelligence analysts work behind the scenes. Raids are conducted by law enforcement officers, such as police and FBI agents, but what most people don’t realize is that these have been orchestrated by intelligence analysts. This role requires having strong statistics skills.

8. Financial Examiners

The financial examiner will audit various corporations and individuals suspected of financial fraud or other wrong doing. This person often collaborates with law enforcement in order to identify individuals or corporations that should be investigated for fraud or embezzlement.

9. Security Managers

A security manager, as the name suggests, is responsible for the security of a building or property. Security managers generally work during regular office hours, however, ensuring that rotas are managed, the right talent is attracted to the position, and that the correct systems are in place. They do, however, have to be on call outside of office hours in case there is a security breach.

10. Customs Officials

A customs official works at the borders in an effort to combat drug trafficking, illegal immigration, human trafficking, weapons importing, and so on. This person’s role is to stop people from getting into the country illegally, but equally to stop some people from getting out.

11. Police Officer

With an MBA degree in criminal justice, it is likely that you will rapidly rise through the ranks if you choose to take on a position within law enforcement. Detectives and superintendents often have MBA degrees. Some, like detectives, continue to work directly on criminal cases. Others prefer to manage departments or even entire police stations.

12. Fire Investigator

A fire investigator will usually work for insurance companies to determine whether a fire was accidental or deliberate. If a fire is found to have been deliberate, this person will also work closely with law enforcement officials. Essentially, the goal is to look at the aftermath of a fire in an effort to determine where it was started, and wht it was started by. This requires having strong analytical skills.

13. Emergency Management Director

The emergency management director holds responsibility for having plans in place should there be an emergency on federal, state, or local level. This usually involves working for the government, or for any other public protection agency, including FEMA. This person makes sure that, if there is an emergency, there is a plan to address it. Because there are so many different possible emergencies – disease outbreaks, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, technical breakdowns, and so on – this role requires the ability to analyze and predict what would happen in each of those situations, and what should happen in response. This also means working closely together with other agencies who will have a role to play in each of those situations.

14. Disaster Relief Officer

There are certain situations in which the government can impose a curfew, or even martial law. The latter is particularly uncommon, but it is possible that a curfew is imposed in cases of natural disasters, such as wildfires or earthquakes. The disaster relief officer will be responsible for making sure that the curfew is adhered to. Additionally, should an evacuation have to take place, this person will be responsible for coordinating and managing that, with a focus on public protection. A key element is to protect a city from looting during any kind of natural disaster.

As you can see, there are a lot of options available to you if you have an MBA degree with a criminal justice concentration, or if you have an MBA and an interested in the criminal justice system. Positions range from federal to state to local government, to private organizations. The criminal justice system is incredibly broad and varied, and there are requirements for people with strong managerial, financial, analytical, and people skills across the board. As an added benefit, the field is very well paid, which means you should see a rapid return on investment on the cost of your degree.

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