What Do Criminal Justice Professors Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Criminal Justice Professors teach courses in criminal justice, corrections, and law enforcement administration. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. They also prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as criminal law, defensive policing, and investigation techniques.

Other tasks include:

• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.

We asked Criminal Justice Professors how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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83% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Criminal Justice Professors evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers. They perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.

A typical day for a Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher will also include:

• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as criminal law, defensive policing, and investigation techniques.
• Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.

We asked some Criminal Justice Professors a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	68% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	35% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	66% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	56% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	25% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	47% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Criminal Justice Professors also compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. They may also write letters of recommendation for students.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Criminal Justice Professors Act as advisers to student organizations. They might also Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.

In addition, they Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.

To some Criminal Justice Professors, it is also their responsibility to Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teacher, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..

They also like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm

http://www.cgsnet.org/

https://www.acteonline.org/

http://www.teach.org/