If you've ever watched one of the forensics or criminal justice shows on TV, then you know how popular careers in this field have become. But unlike the actors you watch on screen, you will be required to dive deep into the study of human behavior, criminology and government. High school is the perfect time to try out some of these classes to see if this is a career you might be interested in. Criminal justice is an expansive field with lots of career options such as a police officer, forensic science technician, probation officer or fish and game warden. Knowing your interest in criminal justice early on will give you advantages once you get to college if you took the right courses in high school.
Science
Learning biology, chemistry and physics during your high school years will help give you a leg up in college. Much of what you learn in science classes you will use in the field to either prove or disprove the guilt or innocence of a person who has been taken into custody and tried for a crime. Although college-level courses will be a part of your criminal justice curriculum, taking these courses now will be a positive stepping stone on your way to the college level class.
Psychology
If your high school offers a class in psychology, take it. Understanding how the human mind works will help you connect the behavior to the action. A foundation in psychology will allow you to understand the various factors that influence decision making: the good decisions as well as the bad ones. Getting a head start on this subject now will make it easier to get through the college-level courses that will go much deeper into the psychology of the human mind.
Sociology
Taking classes in sociology will help you gain knowledge about how the social lives of people, groups and societies act upon each other. When compared to psychology, which is the study of individual human behavior, sociology looks at how people interact with society and how society impacts human behavior. Sociology classes will help to increase your awareness in human behavior and patterns. In the field of criminal justice, this is a must-know course. This knowledge can help to track down criminals by following their patterns. Being familiar with multiple demographics will help relate to a variety of people who have different backgrounds and experiences.
Government
Criminal justice requires an extensive knowledge of civic and government issues. If your high school has a government or civics class, it's a good idea to take both of these courses. Civics courses tend to talk about controversial and timely topics that are impacting people both locally and nationally. For example, the public's view of police officers may be a subject that comes up in this class. Government classes will give you the foundation of the laws you will be required to uphold
