While many law degree graduates have already decided to practice law, there are a variety of criminal justice career paths available to them. Karen L Bune told officer.com that this is because the skills learnt while studying law can serve graduates in a number of criminal justice arenas, including local and state police, the criminal justice system and federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA and CIA. He added that many law grads decide to pursue a career in the police force, which can often demand many of the same personal and profession skills. These include the ability to accurately and quickly assess people and situations, to demonstrate leadership and to be an "excellent communicator". Knowledge of the law and diplomatic skills are also set to become more important as law enforcement becomes an increasingly global affair, Mr Bune said. He cited former US capitol police chief and current sergeant-at-arms for the US Senate Terrance W Gainer as an example of a law graduate who achieved great things as a cop. Total employment in police and detective roles in the United States was 861,000 in 2006, according to the Department of Labor. This included officers employed by local government, state troopers and federal agencies, which require a degree qualification.  |