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Corrections Degrees

With over 11 million people admitted into correctional facilities each year, it is hardly a surprise that correctional industry positions are projected to increase 20 percent over the next five years. As one of the fastest growing industries in the country, correctional jobs have high job security and a large demand.
 
Occasionally, correctional occupations can lead to careers in the legal industry. If counseling and rehabilitating criminal offenders sounds like work that might interest you, a corrections degree can help you advance your career in this field.

A Degree in Corrections

A bachelor's degree in criminal justice and corrections is needed to work in almost any department of corrections. A bachelor's degree typically takes about four years of full-time study to complete; however, some students may complete their degrees more quickly or slowly, depending on the individual.
 
A student earning a criminal justice and corrections degree will study topics such as:
  • community relations and policies
  • criminal law
  • criminal psychology and rehabilitation
  • criminal treatment processes
  • daily communications systems of prison life
  • hierarchy of prison management and regulations
  • history and development of correctional institutions
  • introduction to law enforcement
  • juvenile delinquency and corrections
  • operating a correctional facility
  • parole and probation
  • population management
  • review of prison and rehab facilities
  • sentencing, incarceration and parole
  • staff, visitor and inmate security issues
  • state and federal legal considerations.
Most correctional facilities prefer to hire employees that are under 37 years of age. This is because the industry has a policy of mandatory retirement at the age of 57 years.
 
By pursuing further education after a bachelor's degree, a correctional officer can acquire more advanced positions, such as sergeant or warden.
Looking for a school that focuses on this subject?
Here is a list of institutions and the number of programs they offer.

Online Corrections Degrees

An increasingly popular option for students is to obtain a corrections degree online. Through online degrees, students complete assignments according to their own schedules. Online programs offer an associate degree, a bachelor's degree and a master's degree, all in corrections.
 
Because many correctional facilities are located in rural areas, online degrees are especially useful to those that are not located close to a college or university.

Corrections Jobs

An occupation in corrections involves providing guidance and rehabilitation to criminal offenders. Graduates with a corrections degree can work as:
  • child protection services officers
  • community and court probation officers
  • correctional counselors
  • correctional officers
  • juvenile delinquency officers
  • sexual abuse specialists.

Although 427,000 corrections graduates work in small to medium correctional facilities, there are many other options. Recent graduates can also find positions in:

  • half-way houses
  • juvenile detention facilities
  • municipal, county, state or federal correctional facilities
  • US Immigration and Naturalization Services
  • work-release programs.

Corrections Salaries and Regional Availability

Job availability in this field varies widely by state. Some of the departments of corrections currently hiring the greatest number of corrections officers include:
  • California Department of Corrections
  • Florida Department of Corrections
  • Georgia Department of Corrections
  • Illinois Department of Corrections
  • Michigan Department of Corrections
  • Oklahoma Department of Corrections.

Salaries for correctional officers depend on a variety of factors, including the size of the facility, location, experience and job responsibilities. The average salary for a correctional officer is around $33,600. Those with more experience earn more than $54,000, while federal correctional officers earn an average of $44,700.

Do you have a program in mind?

Research different schools that offer any of the below programs with the links below.

Associate's Programs
Bachelor's Programs
Master's Programs
Doctoral

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