Criminal justice colleges in Arkansas offer degrees leading to employment and advancement within the state's protective services. Training to serve in law enforcement jobs in Arkansas can be found at one of the state's campus-based or online criminal justice colleges that provide the theoretical training and practical skills criminal justice careers demand.
Criminal Justice Colleges in Arkansas
Arkansas criminal justice schools offer classes in a number of key areas. These include:
- Techniques of patrol and community policing
- Arkansas legal issues and criminal law
- Evidence collection and investigation skills
- Use of force, firearms, and self-defense
- Communication and interpersonal skills
Graduates of criminal justice schools in Arkansas serve in a variety of law enforcement jobs, including:
- Investigators and evidence technicians
- Police officers and sheriff's deputies
- Parole and probation officers
- Prison and jail corrections officers
- Security officers
Law enforcement agencies often prefer to hire graduates of criminal justice programs who have earned an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree.
Police Jobs in Arkansas
The number of people employed in protective services in Arkansas in 2009, was estimated to be 23,160, as compared to 3,172,420 nationally. Arkansas officers earned a mean annual wage of $31,720, which is lower than the national mean of $41,740. However, the cost of living in Arkansas is lower than in much of the rest of the United States. According to the FBI Uniform Crime Reports, in 2008 there were 14,472 reportable violent crimes in Arkansas. In 2009, the number of violent crimes rose slightly to 14,959. There were 109,752 property crimes in 2008, with a slight decrease in 2009. The majority of serious crimes such as murder, burglary, and rape occurred in the urban areas of Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and Texarkana. According to the National Institute of Corrections, in 2008 Arkansas' crime rate was 15 percent higher than the national average, and the vast majority of crimes committed--nearly 90 percent--were property crimes. The state also had higher than average numbers of inmates, probationers, and parolees, creating job opportunities for those interested in working with prisoners and ex-cons.
