Criminal justice students in Alabama can choose among a number of good criminal justice programs in the state. There are several on-campus and online law enforcement colleges that offer degree programs for those living and studying in the Yellowhammer state.

Degrees and Coursework at Alabama Criminal Justice Schools

Alabama criminal justice schools are in the business of producing candidates equipped to successfully serve in Alabama. Graduates of associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees are trained to meet the daily challenges officers face. Required studies assist students in developing expertise in the following areas:

• Patrol and community relations
• Self-defense and the use of force
• Investigation
• Law and legal issues
• Techniques of arrest, evidence collection, and firearms

Contact individual colleges for information regarding financial aid. Military aid is available for active duty, reserve personnel, and veterans.

Criminal Justice Careers in Alabama

There were an estimated 3,172,420 million men and women employed in protective services nationally in May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Alabama there were 43,610 people employed in the field, many of them graduates of Alabama criminal justice colleges. The mean annual wage of law enforcement professionals in Alabama was $33,420 that year, as compared with the national average of $41,740. Graduates of criminal justice schools in Alabama serve in several capacities. The greatest numbers of criminal justice graduates are employed in the following positions:

• Police officers and sheriff's deputies
• Corrections officers
• Security professionals
• Investigators and evidence technicians
• Probation and Parole officers

Hiring for law enforcement jobs in Alabama is expected to continue throughout the state as vacancies occur. Crime is decreasing in Alabama, according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Statistics. In 2009, there were 189,857 reportable crimes, which reflected a 6 percent decrease from the number of reported crimes in 2008, but law enforcement professionals are still in demand. Alabama law enforcement officers face daily challenges not only in fighting crime but in controlling violence directed towards police officers. The FBI reported that 249 officers were assaulted in 2009. Most serious crimes such as murder, rape, and assault occur in the major cities of Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile.