Criminal Justice Certification in Delaware

Criminal justice is one of the most pressing priorities in the United States, both on a federal level and in many states. Delaware has made many changes to improve its criminal justice system and keep residents safe, give inmates the chance to turn their lives around, and minimize overall crime rates.

If you’ve ever wanted to contribute to this field, you may have considered a criminal justice degree.

There are many specialized areas of study that you can contribute to as a criminal justice graduate. Juvenile justice is a major area of research in Delaware, and in fact, the state recently received a $700,000 grant to overhaul and improve its juvenile justice system (Delaware Online, 2016).

Whether you are new to this field or you’re looking for a way to take your career to the next level, learn more about criminal justice certificate programs by contacting Delaware schools today.

What Kind of Criminal Justice Certificates are Available in Delaware?

Consider your current level of education while comparing certificate programs. If you have a Master’s degree in criminal justice or a similar field, you may be interested in post-Master’s certificate options.

However, most Delaware options are technical certificates. Technical certificates are short-term programs that allow students with little or no postsecondary education to get started in the criminal justice industry.

While many training options require in-person course attendance and practical experience, you may earn your criminal justice certificate online in several areas of study. Online degrees are convenient for working adults who may not be able to accommodate the course schedules of local schools.

Criminal Justice Technical Certificate Requirements 40 credits

• Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior
  • This course outlines the role that drugs have played in criminal behavior over the centuries. It also looks at how drugs impact human behavior and what societal views of drug use have done in the push to make treatment more accessible.
• Criminal Law
  • Get an overview of criminal law in Delaware and how you are bound by these laws in a variety of criminal justice careers.
• Criminal Judiciary
  • Learn about judicial processes in Delaware, timelines, and how these processes may be impacted by other charges and delays in the system.
• Crisis Intervention
  • In this class, students learn how to successfully deescalate crisis situations and reduce the need for fatal and decisive actions.

Paralegal Technical Certificate Requirements 24 credits

• Legal Research and Writing
  • Learn about the role of research in a paralegal’s career and gain research skills that can help you navigate court documents, legal journals, and other resources.
• Law Office Management and Procedures
  • This class teaches you how to keep a law office running smoothly and efficiently. You may also learn how to handle different situations and time-sensitive situations that arise in the legal field.
• Family Law
  • Get an overview of the field of family law, what types of cases are covered in family law, and how family law practices run differently from criminal law and bankruptcy law firms.
• Civil Procedure
  • Civil cases are the focus in this course. Students learn about the process of filing civil cases, bringing them to court, and assisting lawyers during civil cases.

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

Since certificate programs are often highly focused on specific areas of criminal justice work, you may need to think about your long-term career goals prior to choosing a criminal justice certificate. You need the right combination of practical experience and theoretical knowledge to jump into the specific job you’ve selected.

Overall, the future of criminal justice appears stable in Delaware. Through 2030, job openings for police officers are expected to swell 11% (CareerOneStop, 2022). This timeframe may see a 10% boost in demand for paralegals (CareerOneStop, 2022). Job openings for police records officers are expected to remain steady (CareerOneStop, 2022).

Salaries in Delaware are in line with New England averages. Currently, police officers claim an average income of $77,490 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Those who work as paralegals earn an average of $68,340 per year (BLS, 2022). The mean annual salary for Delaware police records officers is $80,060 per year (CareerOneStop, 2022).

Within each of these roles, you may take on different tasks and responsibilities. Police officers take on front-line duties, often conducting traffic stops, being the first responders to emergency scenes, and responding to calls regarding ongoing situations. Paralegals are more likely to maintain fairly regular hours, although they may often stay late to meet case deadlines and keep up with lawyers’ schedules. Records officers may file paperwork, do suspect intake, help victims reach the appropriate department for their needs, and work with investigators.

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

The field of criminal justice gives you the chance to choose a career that improves your community and makes a difference.

Take the first step now by requesting information from Delaware criminal justice programs.

Online programs may not be available in all areas