Criminal Justice Certification in Missouri

Missouri is in the middle of major systemic changes in its criminal justice system, with many advocates pushing for the state to accept “ban the box” initiatives (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 2018). These changes create a new demand for professionals with different types of expertise, making this an excellent time to explore your career options.

What Kind of Criminal Justice Certificates are Available in Missouri?

Technical certificates are a convenient alternative to an associate degree. While an associate degree can often take up to two years of full-time study, you may be able to complete your certificate in one or two semesters. Of course, specific hour and credit requirements depend on which school and which program you choose.

Police Science Technical Certificate Requirements (600 total hours)

• • Traffic Control and Investigation

Learn how to manage traffic, respond to threats, and investigate potential hazards.

• • Law Enforcement Operational Procedures

This course explores the operational standards that law enforcement officers are expected to maintain in Missouri.

• • Procedural Law for Law Enforcement

In this course, explore the basics of procedural law, which determines how you must communicate with suspects and protect their rights.

• • Defensive Tactics for Law Enforcement

This course helps you prepare for possibly threatening situations. It covers techniques for de-escalation and self-defense.

Paralegal Technical Certificate Requirements (36 credits)

• • Principles of Legal Technology

Get a broad understanding of the technology used in law offices, as well as the purpose of each type of technology you may use in your career.

• • Legal Research and Writing

Instructors cover fundamental techniques for legal writing, including source verification, finding reliable sources, and using legal terminology.

• • Ethics for Paralegals

Students in this class look at the ethical standards that should guide their paralegal careers.

• • Paralegal Practice

In this class, you can look at paralegal technology as a career field and develop an understanding of typical work duties and responsibilities.

Forensic Science Technical Certificate Requirement (30 credits)

• • Forensic Microscopy

This class explores the analysis of trace evidence using microscopes and other scientific tools.

• • Fingerprint Evidence

In this class, you can discover how fingerprints are collected and used to find suspects, rule out suspects, and determine what may have happened at a crime scene.

• • Forensic Pathology

This course delves further into the analysis and dissection of forensic evidence.

• • Forensic Chemistry

After taking this course, you should understand how chemistry improves the field of forensic science and how chemistry makes it easier to understand and analyze crime evidence.

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

One of the benefits of working in Missouri is the strong job outlook in the state. While demand obviously varies between communities, the job outlook is bright for many certificate-level career paths.

CareerOneStop predicts an 8% increase in police officer job openings through the year 2026 (2017). Demand for paralegals may jump 16% between 2016 and 2026 (CareerOneStop, 2017). During this decade, job openings for forensic science technicians may see a 14% increase (CareerOneStop, 2017).

As you gain experience and seniority at Missouri criminal justice agencies, your income potential may increase. Currently, Missouri police officers earn an average of $47,080 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017).

The average income for a paralegal is $52,340 annually (BLS, 2017). Missouri forensic science technicians bring in an average income of $51,600 per year (BLS, 2017).

If you’re excited about taking the next step in your career, check out the list of criminal justice certificate programs below.

We recommend that you get in touch with schools that catch your interest.

Online programs may not be available in all areas.