Unexpected Pathways: Criminal Justice Career Options in the Private Sector

Abstract

Career guide books and scholarly articles alike focus on courts, corrections, and law enforcement careers for criminal justice students. While those careers are noteworthy and popular among students, there are numerous professions available to criminal justice students in the private sector. This study outlines possible career choices outside of the criminal justice system as well as potential organizations for employment. Employment options are located in the fields of investigation, security, legal assistance, intelligence analysis, research and academia, and others with defense contractors, consulting firms, intelligence agencies, and Fortune 500 companies among additional private corporations.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tara Tripp

Tara Tripp earned a BA degree in International Affairs (Summa Cum Laude) and a BA degree in Spanish (Summa Cum Laude) from The University of Georgia. She did an internship with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Atlanta, Georgia in the 2010 fall semester. She also spent the 2012 fall semester doing an internship at the Cherokee County Solicitor General Office. As for her international experience, Tara participated in a 6-week study abroad in Spain in Summer 2010 and a 2-week study abroad in The Netherlands in the Summer of 2012. She has recently received a Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) from Kennesaw State University with a 4.0 GPA. The title of her thesis is “Clandestine Partnerships?: The Link Between Human Trafficking and Organized Crime in Metropolitan Atlanta.”

Sutham Cobkit

Sutham Cobkit (Cheurprakobkit) is a Professor of Criminal Justice in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Kennesaw State University. He served as a police officer for the Royal Thai Police for about three years and as a police instructor in the Police Cadet Academy for one year. He earned his master’s degree in Criminal Justice from University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1989 and his PhD. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University in 1996. His research interests include comparative policing, community policing, police and minorities, computer crime, and school crime. He has published 37 refereed articles and book chapters. In 2005, he received the Kennesaw State University Distinguished Scholarship Award. Currently, he is director of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program.