Criminal Justice Schools in Missouri | MO

Missouri State Criminal Justice Degrees

The country’s largest, single courthouse is found in St. Louis, Missouri. Called the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse, named after the former U.S. Senator, the 29-storey building is the headquarters for both the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the Eighth District U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

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Who knows? One day you may be working as a court reporter, paralegal, lawyer or judge in the Thomas F. Eagleton or another courthouse in Missouri. If you are passionate about the law, look at the list of criminal justice schools in Missouri to find applicable online or campus educational programs. You can start your studies with a paralegal, court reporting or legal studies degree. As you gain experience and knowledge you may decide to finish your law degree and become an attorney. From legal secretary to judge, most legal careers show a positive employment outlook in Missouri and will earn you a respectable yearly income.

Alternatively, you may like to complete a criminal justice degree in Missouri with a specialization in law enforcement, corrections, forensics sciences or emergency management. No matter what you decide, the state shows growth potential with each of these fields.

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Missouri Criminal Justice Career Outlook

Various criminal justice careers in Missouri show a positive outlook for growth. Here are some examples. (The average numbers of annual job openings are provided by Projections Central):

  • Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers – 390 openings/year
  • Correctional Officers and Jailers – 230 openings/year
  • Security Guards – 440 openings/year
  • Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists – 80 openings/year
  • Paralegals – 110 openings/year
  • Lawyers – 220 openings/year
  • Detectives – 60 openings/year
  • Legal Secretaries – 40 openings/year
  • Forensic Science Technicians – 20 openings/year

Check out the list of criminal justice schools in Missouri for information on programs so that you can become qualified for any of these positions. For example, if you would like to become a police officer, complete a criminal justice degree in Missouri with a major in law enforcement; most police and sheriff’s agencies prefer candidates to have a minimum of an Associate’s (two-year) Degree. Or, to become a paralegal, many schools offer either online or campus programs to become trained in that profession.

Top Criminal Justice Employers & Agencies

Missouri is home to two FBI field offices (in Kansas City and St. Louis) and three U.S. Secret Services field offices (in Springfield, Kansas City and St. Louis). Depending on what specific position you wish to pursue, to be eligible to work for one of these top federal agencies, you coul complete a criminal justice degree in Missouri with a major in homeland security, cyber security, counter terrorism, criminology, criminal justice or law enforcement.

Kansas City, MO is also home to the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL), a satellite office of the FBI’s National Program Office. RCFLs deal with performing forensic investigations on digital evidence that pertains to crimes such as child pornography and terrorism. If you are interested in working for this or a similar laboratory, check out the criminal justice schools in Missouri for information on information security, computer forensics or cyber security degrees.

Finally, a division of United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is located in St. Louis. To become a DEA Agent, the process usually starts with a law enforcement or criminal justice degree taken on campus or online.

Missouri Criminal Justice & Legal Job Outlook & Missouri Criminal Justice Salary

CareerEmployment Growth through 2018Current Average Salary
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers8%$39,000 – 43,000
Correctional Officers and Jailers5%$26,000 – 32,000
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists12%$35,000 – 39,000
Detectives and Criminal Investigators10%$60,000 – 65,000+
Private Detectives and Investigators10%$38,000 – 44,000
Paralegals and Legal Assistants10%$42,000 – 49,000
Court Reporters26%$46,000 – 52,000
Lawyers9%$110,000 – 113,000+
Legal Secretaries19%$36,000 – 40,000
Judges and Magistrates11%$110,000 – 115,000+
Gaming Surveillance Officers and Gaming Investigators17%$25,000 – 30,000
Forensic Science Technicians14%$44,000 – 48,000
Emergency Management Specialists20%$40,000 -45,000

Sources:Growth Projections projectionscentral.com ~ Salary Range bls.gov

Missouri Crime Rate

Missouri’s crime rate is 18% higher compared to the rest of the country, according to the National Institute of Corrections. Its violent crime rate is 25% higher, while its property crime rate is 17% higher than the rest of the country.

According to the FBI, in 2010, there were 27,252 cases of violent crime in Missouri, which includes murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape, assault and robbery. This equates to 455 violent crimes/100,000 people. In that same year, there were more than 200,000 property crimes or 3,346/100,000 people. Property crime includes larceny, motor vehicle theft and burglary.

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Missouri’s Correctional System Stats

FacilityNumber of Facilities & OfficesNumber of Inmates
Jails1229,730
Prisons2031,269
Probation & Parole40 districts77,338

Source: www.nicic.gov

Degrees by State