Criminal Justice Schools in Nebraska | NE
The career outlook for many legal and criminal justice professions is promising in Nebraska. Criminal justice schools in Nebraska offer degree and certificate programs for whether you want to become a police officer, paralegal, correctional officer, lawyer, emergency management specialist and a range of other positions. Notice that you often have the choice between online or campus programs to fit your learning style and availability.
Sponsored School(s)
You could take inspiration from native Nebraskan Alan R. Moritz (1899-1986) and become a forensic science technician or a detective. As an educator, Dr. Moritz developed a forensic science curriculum and is credited for creating the “Sherlock Holmes [form of] Medicine”. If this intrigues you, consider taking a criminal justice degree in Nebraska with a major in forensic sciences.
Perhaps, Ada M. Cole Bittenbender (1848-1925) will be your muse. Bittenbender became the first female to practice law in the Nebraska Supreme Court (and the third female attorney before the U.S. Supreme Court) and was a vigilant activist for the rights of women and children. You could enter the legal profession by getting your feet wet as a paralegal, legal secretary or court reporter or go straight to law school to become an attorney. Criminal justice schools in Nebraska offer paralegal, court reporting, administration and law degrees and courses.
Nebraska Criminal Justice Career Outlook
Several criminal justice careers in Nebraska show a positive employment outlook. Here are examples with their average annual number of job openings provided by Projections Central:
- Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers – 110 openings/year
- Lawyers -100 openings/year
- Correctional Officers – 60 openings/year
- Paralegals – 40 openings/year
- First-line Supervisors of Police and Detectives – 30 openings/year
- Security Guards – 150 openings/year
- Legal Secretaries – 30 openings/year
If you are interested in any of these careers, you can pursue relevant education at a number of the criminal justice schools in Nebraska. For example, if you would like to become a police officer or sheriff’s deputy, most agencies prefer you complete a minimum of an Associate’s Degree in law enforcement. If you are gearing towards a correctional officer or jailer career, complete a criminal justice degree in Nebraska with a major in corrections or another related discipline. Many schools offer online or campus programs to become a qualified paralegal or legal secretary. There are courses, certificate and degree programs to make you a competitive candidate for whatever criminal justice career you choose to pursue.
Top Criminal Justice Employers & Agencies
According to Career One Stop, the Offutt Air Force Base is Nebraska’s top employer with over 9,000 personnel. As a member of the U.S. Air Force, you have the opportunity to receive specialized training on base and also to pursue post secondary education at colleges, universities or technical schools off base. Check out the list of criminal justice schools in Nebraska as some offer online programs that can work around your busy military schedule. Some schools are also military friendly meaning they participate in military financial benefit programs; the U.S. Air Force also provides financial benefits to its members to go towards tuition.
Another major employer is First Data in Omaha, Nebraska with approximately 7,000 employees. Some of the positions this company fills require professionals with an information security background, a field that is becoming more and more important in the criminal justice world. If this type of profession interests you, you could pursue a degree in computer forensics, cyber security or information security.
Nebraska Criminal Justice & Legal Job Outlook & Nebraska Criminal Justice Salary
| Career | Employment Growth through 2018 | Current Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | 8% | $40,000 – 48,000+ |
| First-line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 7% | $60,000 – 70,000+ |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 13% | $66,000 – 70,000 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | 7% | $31,000 – 33,000 |
| Court Reporters | 29% | $49,000 – 51,000 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | 18% | $36,000 – 40,000 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | 24% | $39,000 – 43,000 |
| Legal Secretaries | 12% | $33,000 – 37,000 |
| Security Guards | 10% | $27,000 – 29,000 |
| Lawyers | 10% | $100,000 – 103,000 |
| Forensic Science Technicians | 16% | $44,000-48,000 |
| Emergency Management Specialists | 20% | $45,000-49,000 |
Sources: Growth Projections projectionscentral.com ~ Salary Range bls.gov
Nebraska Crime Rate
Nebraska’s violent crime rate is around 23% lower and its property crime rate 6% lower than the rest of the country’s, according to the National Institute of Corrections. Overall its crime rate is 8% lower than the national average.
In 2010, the FBI reported approximately 279 violent crimes/100,000 people and 2,673 property crimes/100,000 people.
Nebraska’s Correctional System Stats
| Facility | Number of Facilities & Offices | Number of Inmates |
|---|---|---|
| Jails | 63 | 2,693 |
| Prisons | 10 | 4,438 |
| Probation & Parole | 10 parole offices(Probation offices under jurisdiction of Nebraska Supreme Court) | 18,591 probationers 823 parolees |
Source: www.nicic.gov
Degrees by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming