Master’s in Criminal Justice Programs in Maine

What Can I Do With My Master’s in Criminal Justice in Maine?

Criminal justice agencies in Maine rely quite a bit on research and leadership from those with lots of education and training. Find out how you can take your education to the next level by contacting criminal justice master’s programs in Maine.

Rather than focusing solely on punishment and retribution, the criminal justice industry is starting to look at the causes of crime and how it is possible to reduce crime rates and keep people out of prison. Experts note that this involves making substance abuse treatment more widely available to people, rather than using imprisonment for all substance abuse cases (Daily Tribune, 2015).

Funding in this industry has increased substantially in recent years. Communities in Maine have received state and federal funding for criminal justice positions (Central Maine, 2015).

Overall, this industry is growing in Maine. Through 2030, you may see roughly 380 new police officer supervisor jobs each year (CareerOneStop, 2022). This position pays an average of $76,710 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Emergency management directors in Maine take home an average salary of $69,900 per year (BLS, 2022).

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

What Will It Take to Earn My Criminal Justice Graduate Degree in Maine?

If you plan on attending school full-time while doing a master’s degree in criminal justice in Maine, you should anticipate spending about two years in school. This allows you to complete between 30 and 36 credits.

At least some of your time in school should be spent gaining work experience. Several Maine schools require graduate students to complete an internship prior to graduation, while others make it an option. Maine criminal justice students have completed internships in diverse settings like county jails, Bangor Police Department, Fryeburg Police Department, FBI Academy, Maine State Police, Maine Juvenile Probation, and Maine Pretrial Services. These internships typically last about one semester and require at least 10 hours of work per week.

The rest of the time you spend in school should be spent on high-level criminal justice courses, such as those listed here:

• Justice Administration and Information Systems: How technology is used in criminal justice operations, protecting the information of offenders and victims, and using these tools in your work
• Corporate Security: The importance of security in a business setting and how it differs from home or government security; considerations to keep in mind while planning corporate security operations
• Public Policy and Planning: Working in the public eye in criminal justice; creating policies, planning operations and programs, assessing the success of programs
• White Collar Crime: The impact of white collar crime on the corporate world, types of white collar crime, and typical offenders
• Psychology and the Legal Environment: Using psychology in a legal environment to secure justice in a fair, ethical way
• Labor and Employment Law: Laws and statutes to utilize when working in a management position in criminal justice
• Advanced Criminological Theories: An in-depth look at criminology

Scholarships can help you on your path to earning a Master of Science in criminal justice in Maine. The Maine Chiefs of Police Association is a local scholarship provider.

You have the opportunity to impact change in Maine. Get involved now and request information on earning a master’s in criminal justice in Maine.