Degree Programs for Criminal Justice Jobs in Hawaii

Hawaii’s criminal justice professionals face an exciting future. As Hawaii’s population continues to grow, so too will the amount of criminal activity. This means the job prospects are also increasing for the police officers, detectives, forensic investigators, legal professionals, and correctional officers that comprise Hawaii’s criminal justice system.

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Careers in the field of criminal justice are not only essential to a free society; they are also rewarding and stable sources of income for the dedicated professionals within the field. In fact, virtually all careers within Hawaii’s criminal justice system consistently rank among careers that provide a higher-than-average annual income.

With the right education, qualified professionals can join the honored ranks of Hawaii’s criminal justice community:

  • 2,860 police officers and sheriff’s deputies
  • 480 detectives and criminal investigators
  • 560 paralegals and legal assistants
  • 70 forensic science technicians
  • 1,700 correctional officers

Law Enforcement and Investigative Jobs in Hawaii

Hawaii has four police departments that correspond to different islands plus a statewide Department of Public Safety. A police department will have several branch offices located throughout one island, while the Department of Public Safety has sheriff’s deputies who work across all islands. Detectives and criminal investigators work within these agencies to solve the more challenging cases. Altogether these law enforcement professionals are on the front lines of the fight against crime.

Thanks to their skill and expertise, the violent crime rate in Hawaii has not significantly increased over the past decade, while the rate of property crime has fallen sharply over the same period.

Each law enforcement agency sets its own hiring requirements, which generally include having a high school education and a good personal record with no significant criminal convictions.

Qualifying to Work in Hawaii’s Police Departments and the State’s Sheriff Division

Education can be an important factor for prospective police officers and sheriff’s deputies. For example, the Honolulu Police Department states that having a college education can help applicants improve their written examination score and also be beneficial for being promoted to a higher rank.

Hawaii’s five main law enforcement agencies are:

  • Honolulu Police Department
  • Hawaii Police Department
  • Maui Police Department
  • Kauai Police Department
  • Department of Public Safety, which oversees two statewide subdivisions:
    • Sheriff Division
    • Narcotics Division

Becoming a Detective or Criminal Investigator in Hawaii

Detectives and criminal investigators work within specialized divisions of Hawaii’s law enforcement professionals:

  • Honolulu Police Department – Criminal Investigation Division
  • Hawaii Police Department – Criminal Investigation Division
  • Maui Police Department – Criminal Intelligence Unit and Investigative Services Bureau
  • Kauai Police Department – Criminal Intelligence Unit and Investigative Services Bureau
  • Department of Public Safety’s Narcotics Division – Investigative Branch
  • Department of Public Safety’s Sheriff Division

Each law enforcement agency sets its own hiring requirements for detectives and criminal investigators, which generally include prior law enforcement experience and may also require college education.

  • To become a detective in the Hawaii Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division candidates will need to have an associate’s degree that includes classes relevant to police and detective work, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Candidates must also have at least three years of experience in law enforcement.
  • To become an investigator with the Hawaii Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division candidates will need to have a bachelor’s degree in one of the following subjects:
    • Political Science
    • Criminal Justice
    • Social Work
    • Sociology
    • Psychology
    • Administration of Justice
    • Public or Business Administration
    • Any other related field
  • To become an investigator with the Maui Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit or Investigative Services Bureau, candidates will need to have a bachelor’s degree in any of the following subjects, or an equivalent combination of education and experience:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Police Science
    • Psychology
    • Sociology
    • Public Administration
    • Any other related field
  • To work as an FBI Special Agent out of the agency’s field office in Honolulu, candidates will need to have at least a bachelor’s degree in fields like:
    • Political Science
    • Criminal Justice
    • Computer Science or IT
    • Law
    • Languages

Paralegals and Legal Assistant Jobs in Hawaii

In Hawaii paralegals, also known as legal assistants, primarily work with businesses that provide legal services such as law firms, as well as governmental and commercial agencies. These professionals conduct legal research and otherwise assist their employers. While the completion of a paralegal studies degree program or certification course are not official state requirements, many employers require at least one of these qualifications.

In addition to online and out-of-state opportunities, prospective legal assistants can find an associate’s of science (AS) paralegal studies program in Honolulu. There are also several bachelor’s degree programs in law and legal studies offered throughout the state that can be advantageous for paralegals.

Besides holding a degree, legal assistants can also consider obtaining a paralegal certification. Residents of Hawaii can find nationally recognized certifications through agencies such as:

Paralegal and Legal Assistant Job Qualifications in Hawaii

Because every paralegal employer can sets its own hiring standards, prospective legal assistants may find the following examples to be helpful:

  • Hawaii County Legal Assistant – requires a college degree with coursework relating to business or public administration, or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Candidates also need to have at least two years of related work experience.
  • Maui County Legal Assistant – requires a bachelor’s degree in a field such as business or public administration, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Candidates also need to have one year of related work experience.
  • Hawaii Medical Service Legal Assistant in Honolulu – requires an associate’s degree and a year of relevant work experience, or an equivalent combination or education and experience

Forensic Scientist and Crime Scene Investigator Jobs in Hawaii

Forensic scientists and crime scene investigators work within the criminal and special investigations units of law enforcement agencies at the local, state, and federal levels of government. These professionals are responsible for collecting and analyzing crime scene evidence. In addition to prior law enforcement experience, forensic scientists and CSI agents are often required to have college education in their particular area of expertise. In the following cases, an equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted for a college degree:

  • Police Evidence Specialist with the Hawaii Police Department – requires one year of laboratory research and experience plus a college degree with a concentration in fields relating to the physical, natural, and forensic sciences
  • Criminalist with the Hawaii Police Department – requires one year of laboratory experience in chemical analysis plus a college degree that includes significant coursework in chemistry
  • Criminalist with the Maui Police Department – requires one year of laboratory experience dealing with chemical analysis plus a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or a related field
  • Police Evidence Specialist with the Maui Police Department – requires one year of laboratory, research, or analytic work experience plus a bachelor’s degree in the physical or biological sciences
  • Criminal Identification Technician I with the Hawaii Department of Public Safety – requires at least two years of progressively responsible clerical experience, which may be substituted for with college credits or a degree that involves coursework in English and mathematics, at a rate of 15 semester hours for six months of clerical experience

In addition to pursuing college education, candidates for forensic science and CSI positions can also consider certification from nationally recognized agencies such as:

Jobs with the Hawaii Corrections Division and the Federal Bureau of Prisons

Correctional officers in Hawaii work with two main employers:

  • The Hawaii Department of Public Safety’s Corrections Division
  • The federal government’s Bureau of Prisons

Each of these employers has their own qualifications when it comes to hiring correctional officers, which include having at least a high school education and a clean criminal record.

Qualifying for Jobs with the Hawaii Department of Public Safety Corrections Division

Correctional officers who work in the Department of Public Safety Corrections Division need to have knowledge of the following:

  • Principles and practices of corrections
  • Adult corrections security concepts
  • Aspects of human behavior
  • Criminal justice system
  • State and department policies and procedures

While a college degree is not required, candidates can competitively demonstrate knowledge of key subjects by earning a degree in subjects like:

  • Criminal Justice
  • Law Enforcement
  • Police Science
  • Psychology
  • Social Work

There are eight correctional facilities in Hawaii operated by the Department of Public Safety’s Corrections Division:

  • Hawaii Community Correctional Center (HCCC) in Hilo
  • Kauai Community Correctional Center (KCCC) Lihue
  • Maui Community Correctional Center (MCCC) in Wailuku
  • Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) in Honolulu
  • Halawa Correctional Facility (HCF) in Aiea
  • Waiawa Correctional Facility (WCF) in Waipahu
  • Kulani Correctional Facility (KCF) in Hilo
  • Women’s Community Correctional Center (WCCC) in Kailua

Qualifying for Jobs with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Hawaii

The Bureau of Prisons operates one federal facility in Hawaii, Federal Detention Center (FDC) Honolulu. Correctional officers who are interested in working with the Bureau of Prisons need to meet one of the following qualifications:

  • Have a bachelor’s degree in any subject
  • Have three years of work corrections work experience
  • Have one year of specialized corrections work experience

To begin working with the Bureau of Prisons beyond the entry-level rank, candidates need to possess one of the following qualifications:

  • One year of work experience that is equivalent to an entry-level federal correctional officer
  • 14-quarter or 9-semester college credits in the following subject areas:
    • Criminal Justice
    • Social Science
    • Criminology
    • Law
    • Any other closely related field

Homeland Security and Emergency Management Jobs in Hawaii

As a key naval and intelligence location in the Pacific, a popular tourist destination, and an island state susceptible to disasters like hurricanes, homeland security and emergency management agents play a vitally important role in Hawaii.

Homeland security and emergency management careers ensure that communication is maintained during a crisis at all levels of government. As such, these professionals work with local, state, and federal agencies to approach challenges from a variety of angles. Preparing for careers in this field can include earning a degree in subjects like:

  • Criminal Justice
  • Homeland Security
  • Emergency Management
  • Logistics
  • Communications
  • Sociology
  • Information Technology
  • Public Administration

Homeland security and emergency management positions may be available with agencies like:

  • Honolulu-Pacific Joint Terrorism Task Force
  • FBI Honolulu Field Office
  • Hawaii Executive Preparedness Executive Committee (HEPEC)
  • Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Operations Center at Camp HM Smith in Honolulu
  • Joint Interagency Task Force West
  • Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
  • Hawaii State Civil Defense
  • Hawaii Attorney General’s Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Division
  • Emergency Operations Center in Hawaii in Diamond Head Crater
  • Honolulu Department of Emergency Management
  • County-Island Civil Defense Agencies

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