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Legal, Law Enforcement, And EMS Careers

The following careers are those considered to be in the legal, law enforcement, and emergency services industry. If you want a career that makes a real difference in your community, one of these may be right for you. Training for these careers may take approximately 6 months to 4 years to complete.

Corrections

Before you can become a correctional officer, you need to be at least 18 years old and have either a high school diploma or a GED. Some states also require college credits.

A correctional officer’s job is to enforce the correctional facility rules and regulations. They have to consider the safety of not only the prisoners but also their fellow correctional officers and the general public.

Corrections officers work for local, state, and the federal government. They also work in facilities support. Read more correctional officer career information.

Court Reporting

A court reporter attends court hearings, depositions, or other events where a transcript is necessary. They are responsible for translating the transcriptions onto a readable document.

Either a trade school certificate or college associate degree court reporting program will qualify you to apply for jobs in this industry. Most court reporters work in courts and legislatures, but other jobs are available such as supplying broadcast captioning for television stations.

EMT

EMTs are the most common provider of emergency medical care in the entire EMS community. Emergency medical technicians are highly skilled to aid in life-threatening instances.

To become an EMT there are prerequisites. You must be 18 years of age and have your high school diploma or GED. You must also have a valid driver’s license and be certified in CPR.

Some schools will require basic math and reading exams before gaining entry, and some EMT programs may require you to be up to date with shots.

Forensics

When you go to school for forensic science, you'll learn to work with toxicologists, perform sample analysis, and more. You'll be able to choose a specialization such as DNA or pathology.

To become a forensic science technician, the student needs at least a bachelor’s degree in a natural science like chemistry or biology, or in forensic science.

Law

Lawyers are hired to legally represent an individual, corporation, business, or some other type of entity within a court of law. Becoming a lawyer takes quite a bit of training—learn about that on this lawyer career information page.

Paralegal

Paralegals work with lawyers, helping them by working files, organizing cases through research, and crafting supporting documents. When attending a college paralegal program, you may specialize in personal injury, criminal law, bankruptcy, immigration, or other specialties.

A trade school or community college paralegal program is usually a two-year associate degree. But, some lawyers prefer their paralegals to have a bachelor’s degree.

Police Officer

To become a police officer, you must first finish high school or obtain a GED. Then you can choose to get your associate or bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, law enforcement, or a related field. Because gaining entrance into the police academy is competitive, it is beneficial to have your associate or bachelor’s degree.

Reference:

Criminal Justice Careers

Bureau of Labor Statistics