Criminal Justice Schools in Georgia | GA
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) is headquartered in Glynco, Georgia. Its firing, driver training and explosive ranges, simulated port of entry and physical workout spaces serve as training grounds for roughly 90 federal agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service and other Homeland Security departments, the Department of Defense and the FBI. If you are attending one of the criminal justice schools in Georgia or elsewhere, you have the opportunity to complete a 12-week college internship at FLETC. To be eligible, you must be taking a criminal justice, criminology or another degree related to federal law enforcement.
According to Career One Stop, FLETC is one of Georgia’s largest employers with approximately 4,000 staff. Another criminal justice career option is with the Georgia Department of Corrections. The number of individuals on probation in the state is approximately 285% higher than the rest of the country, according to the National Institute of Corrections. Projections Central states that around 100 new jobs open up each year for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists. If supervising former inmates and helping them rehabilitate is in your future, you can take a criminal justice degree in Georgia with a specialization in law enforcement, criminal justice or adult/youth probation. Take a look at the list of online and campus criminal justice schools in Georgia for such educational programs.
Campus Criminal Justice Schools in Georgia
American Intercontinental University
Campus Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs Offered: Corrections, Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, Law / Courts, Law Enforcement
School Website: www.aiuniv.edu
American InterContinental University Online
Campus Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs Offered: Criminal Justice Administration, Forensic Science, Law Enforcement
School Website:
Argosy University
Campus Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs Offered: Criminal Justice, Psychology in Criminal Justice
School Website: www.argosy.edu
Bauder College
Campus Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs Offered: Criminal Justice
School Website:
Brown College of Court Reporting & Medical Transcription
Campus Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs Offered: Court Reporting, Realtime Voice Writing
School Website:
Brown Mackie College
Campus Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs Offered: Criminal Justice, Paralegal
School Website:
DeVry University
Campus Location: Alpharetta, GA
Programs Offered: Criminal Justice, Tech Mgmt
School Website: www.devry.edu
Herzing University
Campus Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs Offered: Homeland Security & Public Safety, Legal Studies, Paralegal Studies
School Website:
Saint Leo University
Campus Location: Duluth, GA
Programs Offered: Criminal Justice
School Website:
South University
Campus Location: Savannah, GA
Programs Offered: Criminal Justice, Paralegal Studies, Legal Studies
School Website: www.southuniversity.edu
Strayer University
Campus Location: Morrow, GA
Programs Offered: Business Admin, Criminal Justice, Computer Security, Emergency Mgmt, Homeland Security/Tech, Forensics, Legal Studies
School Website: www.strayer.edu
University of Phoenix
Campus Location: Various Locations, GA
Programs Offered: Administration of Justice and Security, Criminal Justice/Administration, Organizational Security & Management
School Website: www.phoenix.edu
Online Criminal Justice Schools in Georgia
Schools Offering Criminal Justice Degrees:
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Georgia Criminal Justice Career Outlook
Georgia is one of five states to have the highest level of employment in the following occupations (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics):
- Judicial law clerks
- Bailiffs
- Fish and Game Wardens
The BLS adds that Georgia is one of five states to have the highest concentration of detectives and criminal investigators. The demand for detectives is also going to increase by 16% through to 2018 with approximately 180 new jobs per year, states Projections Central. Before you can become detective, normally you would serve as a police officer or sheriff’s deputy first, a field that offers approximately 700 new positions a year in Georgia. Check the list of criminal justice schools in Georgia for law enforcement or related degrees as most departments require entry-level officers to have a minimum of an Associate’s degree. After you have paid your dues on the force, and upgraded your education (by taking a Bachelor or Masters degree in criminal justice, for example) you can be promoted to the rank of detective.
Other criminal justice careers in Georgia that show a positive outlook for growth include paralegals (with 360 new jobs per year), correctional officers (740 openings), court reporters (40 openings) and forensic science technicians (10 openings). Look at the list of schools for information on paralegal, legal studies, court reporting, corrections or forensic science degree programs if these fields interest you. You often have the choice between taking an online or campus program.
Top Criminal Justice Employers & Agencies
As was mentioned earlier, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) is one of Georgia’s top employers. FLETC offers training programs from search and seizure and investigation to computer crimes detection and marine law enforcement. It thus hires experts in these fields to teach students attending the center.
The Georgia Department of Corrections is also a major employer with over 13,000 personnel. If you would like to work for this state agency, criminal justice schools in Georgia offer degrees in corrections, law enforcement and other related areas to help you start your Correctional or Probation Officer career.
Additionally, Georgia boasts three U.S. Secret Services offices (in Albany, Atlanta and Savannah) and a Homeland Security Special-Agent-in-Charge field office in Atlanta. Several different roles are needed at these federal organizations. If you are interested, you can choose to take a criminal justice degree in Georgia majoring in homeland security, counterterrorism, cyber security and other related areas.
Georgia Criminal Justice & Legal Job Outlook & Georgia Criminal Justice Salary
| Career | Employment Growth through 2018 | Current Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | 8% | $39,000 – 43,000 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 16% | $26,000 – 32,000 |
| Court Reporters | 30% | $33,000 – 40,000 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 26% | $50,000 – 60,000 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | 11% | $32,000 – 38,000+ |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | 30% | $45,000 – 50,000+ |
| Lawyers | 17% | $130,000 – 140,000+ |
| Security Guards | 17% | $22,000 – 26,000 |
| Forensic Science Technicians | 22% | $48,000 – 51,000 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | 12% | $34,000 – 38,000 |
Sources: Growth Projections projectionscentral.com ~ Salary Range bls.gov
Georgia Crime Rate
In 2010, Georgia ranked 12th place for crime in CQ Press’ Annual State Crime Rankings. It rated particularly high for cases of burglary and motor vehicle theft. For that same year, the FBI reported over 96,000 cases of burglary (998/100,000 people) and over 30,000 cases of motor vehicle theft (312/100,000 people).
According to the National Institute of Corrections, Georgia’s crime rate is approximately 26% higher than the rest of the country. Its property crime rate is around 28% higher and its violent crime rate is around 10% higher than the country’s average.
With these statistics in mind, police officers, detectives, correctional officers, paralegals and other criminal justice careers serve an imperative role in Georgia.
Georgia's Correctional System Stats
| Facility | Number of Facilities/Offices | Number of Inmates |
|---|---|---|
| Jails | 192 | 43,243 |
| Prisons | 32 | 55,075 |
| Probation/Parole | 175 | 416,717 |
Source: www.nicic.gov
