Criminal Justice Certification in California

In California, criminal justice requires highly trained professionals at the state, county, and city levels to maintain order and protect residents.

The Criminal Justice Statistics Center of California reports that the state has seen consistent decreases in property crime and violent crime (2016). This could be a great time to start exploring career options, since California is in the midst of overhauling its juvenile justice system (Human Rights Watch, 2016).

If you’re ready to take your education to the next level, a criminal justice certificate could be just what you need.

Get more information on criminal justice certificate programs by contacting California schools below.

What Kind of Criminal Justice Certificates are Available in California?

As a California student, you have dozens of schooling options to consider. Certificate options are different from Associate’s and Bachelor’s degree programs, which combine theory and practical skills to prepare you for a range of careers.

Certificate programs tend to be much shorter, and required courses focus on skills unique to a specific career path. Students with Master’s degrees may pursue post-Master’s certificates. However, the programs listed below are technical certificates that do not require prior postsecondary education.

Some of these options are conventional in-person programs, but you may also be able to earn your criminal justice certificate online.

Public Safety Dispatcher Certificate Requirements

• 11 credits
• Fire/EMS Dispatching
  • Learn how to answer calls for fire emergencies and medical emergencies, focusing on keeping callers calm and gathering needed information.
• Emergency Medical Dispatching
  • Explore techniques for helping callers with medical emergencies and how you request service from hospitals and other needed emergency services.
• Basic ICS
  • This course covers basic coding used for medical calls and documentation.
• National Incident Management System
  • In this class, you can learn how to report incidents to a national tracking system and ensure that they are properly accounted for.

Law Office Assistant Certificate Requirements

• 30 credits
• Law and the American Legal System
  • A brief overview of the American legal system and laws that affect your work as a legal assistant
• Civil Procedure and Litigation
  • Standards, ethics, and legal restrictions in civil suits and civil procedures
• Legal Research
  • Conducting research in legal journals and case reviews
• Law Office Management
  • Management techniques for law offices and legal staff

Law Enforcement Certificate Requirements

• 18 credits
• Criminal Law
  • Explore criminal law in California and on a federal scale to understand how suspects may be charged.
• Constitutional Criminal Procedure
  • Master procedures used during stops and arrests that maintain suspects’ civil rights.
• Community Relations
  • Learn skills for maintaining a strong relationship with the community you serve.
• Juvenile Justice System
  • Get an overview of the juvenile justice system, its goals, and how you can work within it to stop the cycle of crime.

Private Investigation Certificate Requirements

• 15 credits
• Introduction to the Profession of Private Investigation
  • An introduction to private investigation, typical job duties, standard clients, and reasons that people use private investigative services
• Principles of Investigation
  • The core tenets of this field and the standards you must follow as a private investigator
• Investigative Specialization
  • How to specialize in a specific area of private investigation and develop techniques for certain types of cases
• Applied Investigative Practices
  • Applying theory to real-life investigative cases and clients

What Can I Do With a Criminal Justice Certificate in California?

With your criminal justice certificate, you may start exploring job openings in California. If you become a private investigator, you can take cases of suspected infidelity, insurance fraud, and illegal activity. The average salary for a California private investigator is $59,900 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Job openings may jump 14% through 2030 (CareerOneStop, 2022).

Legal assistants play an important role in law firms and government legal agencies. On average, legal assistants earn $60,500 per year (BLS, 2022). 

Police officers in California perform traffic stops, attend to emergency situations, and stop crimes in progress. An average salary of $104,010 per year is reported for California police officers (BLS, 2022). Demand for police officers may increase 5% through 2030 (CareerOneStop, 2022).

Dispatchers ensure that callers get the emergency services they need and help callers stay calm while waiting for help. Through 2030, you may see 760 new job openings per year (CareerOneStop, 2022). The average annual income for an emergency dispatcher is $73,430 (BLS, 2022).

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for California contained here reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed November 2023.

There‘s no time like right now to start your criminal justice career. Take the first step now by contacting colleges in California for criminal justice.

Online programs may not be available in all areas