North Carolina Criminal Justice Programs
With the population of North Carolina growing rapidly, the state needs more criminal justice professionals to protect the public and carry out law enforcement, courts, and corrections functions. Your first step to becoming one of these professionals may be a criminal justice degree from one of the state’s 58 community colleges, 16 public universities, or numerous private schools.
Criminal Justice Careers in North Carolina
North Carolina’s criminal justice system has three branches. The first is law enforcement, which is charged with investigating and preventing crimes. The second is the court system, where suspects are tried and sentenced. The last is the corrections system, where convicted criminals serve out their sentences and, hopefully, are rehabilitated so they can re-enter mainstream society. As you’ll see, though there are careers in each branch, the job prospects and salaries vary significantly.
Law Enforcement
Law enforcement is about serving communities and protecting them from crimes. There’s a healthy appetite for Carolina law enforcement workers, among them highway patrol officers, sheriffs’ deputies, and city police. Private detectives fill in the gaps, investigating on behalf of businesses and individuals.
| Career | Career Outlook | Annual Median Salary |
| Police Officers | +9% | $46,160 |
| Private Detectives and Investigators | +14% | $51,370 |
All data from O*Net
The Courts
The North Carolina courts system is bustling. With five types of courts in the trial division—superior courts, business courts, recovery courts, district courts, and small claims courts—there’s a need for paralegals, legal assistants, and, of course, prosecutors.
| Career | Career Outlook | Annual Median Salary |
| Paralegals and legal assistants | +17% | $43,530 |
| Prosecutor (data includes all lawyers) | +11% | $99,400 |
All data from O*Net
Corrections
Because of criminal justice reform in North Carolina, the state’s correctional system has contracted over the past decade or so. That is reflected in the career outlook statistics for correctional officers and probation officers.
| Career | Career Outlook | Annual Median Salary |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | -9% | $36,770 |
| Probation Officers | +2% | $42,810 |
All data from O*Net
Criminal Justice Education Resources in North Carolina
What you probably really want to know is how to find a job with your criminal justice degree. We can’t go into the mind of every employer, but we can give you resources on some of the most common types of criminal justice careers. Below you’ll find links that explain the application process and job requirements within each branch.
Innovations in Criminal Justice in North Carolina
North Carolina has been steadily overhauling its criminal justice system since 2011. That’s when it passed the Justice Reinvestment Act, which transferred spending away from prisons and toward strategies that reduced recidivism and improved public safety. Within the span of three years, North Carolina shuttered 10 correctional facilities. In that same span, it increased funds for mental health and substance abuse treatments while its probation revocations decreased by 50%.
Given the act’s goals, it’s easy to see why the number of corrections officers is expected to shrink a further 9% between 2016 and 2026, according toO*Net. That number is offset by the projected 9% growth of police officers, who are called upon to protect public safety.
More reforms may be on the way, and they’d likely further shift the burden from corrections officers to other criminal justice professionals. A bill first floated in 2019 called the Second Chance Act would make it easier for nonviolent offenders’ records to be expunged. That would clear hurdles to applying for jobs, finding housing, and even going to school. Another bill—the First Step Act—would result in reduced prison sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.
Other bills winding their way through North Carolina’s legislature would do away with life sentences without parole for juvenile offenders, make releases without bail payments possible, and fund studies into recidivism reduction.
Main Criminal Justice Governmental Agencies and Entities in North Carolina
Resources for Criminal Justice Students and Professionals in North Carolina
Membership organizations that admit students can expose you to a network of working professionals who balance out your classroom learning with some practical know-how. Even organizations that don’t admit students often run scholarship programs and may be eager to train and educate younger generations.