Community colleges often serve as the starting point on the way to larger universities, and are an economical way to take care of the general requirements for an academic field before focusing on their specific field of study. These schools are also an easy way to receive an associate degree and to establish credentials before pursing a bachelor's degree. Numerous community colleges throughout Florida offer an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice Technology, including Florida Keys Community College, Gulf Coast Community College, Hillsborough Community College and South Florida Community College, all of which have two different version of the degree. While not as prestigious as a bachelor's, associate degrees demonstrate a commitment, dedication and knowledge of the subject that employers notice. They also provide the basis for attaining a bachelor's degree and often in a shorter period of time than without the establishment provided by an associate degree.
Located in Fort Lauderdale, Keiser University offers both an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Having both programs on the same campus allows a great deal of overlap where students can take any class in their major field of study that they choose, and decide which degree to apply the class to, with some classes being applicable to both. This allows students to learn more within the subject and possibly finish both degrees faster.
Tallahassee Community College offers a special program in which the school's Associate of Science in Criminal Justice Technology is directly transferable toward credits in earning Florida Gulf Coast University's Bachelor in Criminology. Like most community colleges, the TCC program is meant to provide credits that can be transferred, however, with its specific gearing toward another school's program it is assured that none of the credits earned through the community college will be lost in the transfer. As well, criminology programs apply more specifically to the technical and theoretical side of criminal justice, while the more general Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice focuses more on enforcement. Those students looking to work in the study of crime, criminal patterns and prevention theory could benefit more from a degree in criminology than in criminal justice.
Colleges, such as Florida Keys Community College, offer professional degrees in criminal justice technology. Such certificates are easily gained in conjunction with achelor's degrees but are more tailored to the professional than the theoretical side of the field. Many times this focus of the specialized certificate is more desirable to prospective employers because it is catered directly to the demands and application of the profession and not based in theoretical knowledge that then needs to be applied through experience, making the hire less ready from the beginning of employment.