The Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security career cluster helps prepare students for careers in planning, managing, and providing legal, public safety, protective services and homeland security, including professional and technical support services.
This career cluster is divided into five pathways:
Emergency and Fire Management Services
Law Enforcement Services
Legal Services
Correction Services
Security & Protective Services
Every year, fires and other emergencies take thousands of lives and destroy property worth billions of dollars. Firefighters and emergency services workers help protect the public against these dangers by rapidly responding to a variety of emergencies. They are frequently the first emergency personnel at the scene of a traffic accident or medical emergency and may be called upon to put out a fire, treat injuries or perform other vital functions.
Sample occupations include:
Emergency Management and Response Coordinator
Emergency Planning Manager
Emergency Medical Technician
Fire Fighter
Hazardous Materials Responder
Dispatcher
Training Officer
Rescue Worker
People depend on police officers and detectives to protect their lives and property. Law enforcement officers have duties that range from controlling traffic to preventing and investigating crimes. They maintain order, enforce laws and ordinances, issue traffic summonses, investigate accidents, present evidence in court, serve legal documents for the court system, as well as apprehend, arrest and process prisoners.
Sample occupations include:
Criminal Investigator and Special Agent
Immigration and Customs Inspector
Federal Marshall
Police Detective and Criminal Investigator
Police, Fire and Ambulance Dispatcher
Sheriff and Deputy Sheriff
Private Detective and Investigator
Police and Patrol Officer
Evidence Technician
Game Enforcement Officer
Bailiff
Animal Control Officer
Park Ranger
The legal system affects nearly every aspect of our society, from buying a home to crossing the street. Workers in the Legal Services pathway form the backbone of this vital system, linking it to society in many ways. For this reason, they hold positions of great responsibility and are obligated to adhere to a strict code of ethics.
Sample occupations include:
Judge
Magistrate
Attorney
Case Management Specialist
Legal Assistant
Court Reporter
File and Document Manager
Investigator
Law Clerk
Paralegal
Mediator/Arbitrator
Legal Secretary
Workers in the Correction Services pathway are responsible for overseeing individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial or who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve time in a jail, reformatory, or penitentiary. While the primary mission of corrections is protection of the public, many in this field are involved with the treatment, education and reintegration of offenders.
Sample occupations include:
Corrections Officer
Probation, Parole Officer
Security personnel often work in public buildings such as museums or art galleries to protect paintings and exhibits by inspecting people and packages entering and leaving the building. In factories, laboratories, government buildings, data processing centers, and military bases, security officers protect information, products, computer codes, and defense secrets and check the credentials of people and vehicles entering and leaving the premises.
Sample occupations include:
Private Detective, Investigator
Security Officer
In order to make a plan for your future career goals, you need to know how to get there and make sure it is a good fit for you. There are several tools that can be used for career research. These tools can give you a description of the career, skills needed, tasks involved, wage range, and education/training needed.
Here are a few career research tools:
Onet-Use the "Occupation Search" features
CareerOneStop-Use "Occupation Search" or "List of Occupations"
The more you know about a career the more you can decide if it is a good match with your interests, skills and talents. Also it will help you make a plan towards your future career goals. A few good ways to do that is to see that career in action, talk to someone in that career or attend a career event.
Go to the "Upcoming Events" to check for monthly career events and go to the "Future Focused Series" to register for a virtual career chat with a professional in a career field of interest.
Contact your Career Specialist, Michelle Kuck MAISD Career Specialist : mkuck@muskegonisd.org, to talk about job shadow, internship, externship, talent tour or informational interview options that may be available or to learn more about careers in this field.
Go to CareerOneStop or Going Pro in Michigan to view career related videos.
Michigan State Police-STET Team Michigan-Local Connection in Muskegon
Michigan Department of Corrections, Michigan-Local Connection in Muskegon