Start prepping NOW for your dream job or work-anywhere trade skills!
Develop a Detailed Understanding of the Legal and Criminal Justice Systems
Have you always been fascinated with law enforcement, courtroom drama or the legal system? Do you find yourself binge-watching the entire CSI series? Maybe you’ve always wanted to help rehabilitate wayward members of society. If this sounds like you, then a career in the legal or criminal justice fields could be your calling. Encompassing a diverse array of elements and perspectives contained within the justice system, this program offers a strong foundation from which to build your own career on.
What You'll Learn
From 10th grade upward, enroll in A-G approved courses to start preparing for your career in the legal or criminal justice fields. Classes include:
- CTE Con Legal Careers
- CTE Cap Criminal Justice
What You’ll Do
Take what you’re learning in the classroom into the real world and experience for yourself all that awaits you in the always-interesting legal and criminal justice fields. Hands-on, immersive experiences include:
- Introduction to various aspects of the law
- Introduction to several elements of criminal justice
- Leadership roles and opportunities
- Tour of local police departments and courthouses
- Guest speaker visits
Who You Can Be
Kickstart your career path with top-tier academic instruction and industry-leader insights. The Criminal Justice & the Law program prepares you for potential careers such as:
- Law Enforcement Officer
- Law Enforcement Professional
- Correctional Facility Officer
- Correctional Facility Professional
- Attorney
- Judge
- Probation Officer
- Correctional Treatment Specialist
Industry Average Wages: $54,000-$65,000
Projected Industry Growth: 4-5%
What You Need to Know
VUSD’s Criminal Justice & the Law CTE track prepares students for successful careers in the legal and criminal justice fields. The program provides students (10th grade and up) with descriptive overview of both the adult and juvenile justice systems — from the commission of crimes and offenses through sentencing and appeal procedures. Criminal justice standards and goals, along with the relationship of criminal justice to the social and behavioral sciences, are emphasized throughout the program. Students analyze the historical development of Criminal Law and learn to apply it to modern practices and scenarios — thereby developing a strong understanding of the interrelationship between Criminal Law and the Criminal Justice system. The program is based at Buena High School and leads directly to VUSD’s Legal Practices pathway. Students emerge from this program with enhanced skills, insight, confidence and relationships.
Get a jump start on your college future by earning college credits and valuable real-world skills you can use for college and career.
2 Year
AS Criminal Justice - Ventura College
4 Year
BA Criminal Justice - UC Santa Barbara