Now’s the perfect time to get your degree in criminal justice. According to The U.S. Department of Labor, there will likely be a 24 percent increase in corrections across the country in the next four years alone.

Getting your criminal justice degree can help prepare you for a career in corrections, law enforcement, or security.

But, who has time to go back to school, no matter how rewarding the work? Thankfully, you don’t have to – at least not in the traditional sense in schlepping to classes at your local college at night and on the weekends. Now you can earn that degree -- often from the same college down the road – right from your own home.

Getting a criminal justice degree online is a great option for many people who simply lack the time and flexibility to get to traditional classes. Distance learning allows you to get the education and skills you need for an exciting career in criminal justice, without making you choose between your future and your family and current career. Online programs are deigned for adult learners with little time to commute back and forth from traditional classes. Instead, they offer the option of studying at your convenience.

But where can you find the right school for you? Check out this free listing of thousands of criminal justice online programs right here.

Getting a criminal justice degree online doesn't have to mean giving up time with your family. My brother earned his four-year degree by attending his online classes and doing all of his schoolwork at night after is kids went to bed. Sure, it was tough. He had to cram an entire semester’s work into those late-night hours, but he was able to finish his degree on his terms.

Since most accredited online courses and programs qualify for standard financial aid packages and student loans, most students find it easier than ever to get started. The key is finding a good program that offers the type of training that you need for whatever area of criminal justice you plan to enter. Be leery of programs not affiliated with a well-known quality school. If you’re going to take the time and spend the money going back to school, make sure it’s a legitimate one.

When my brother was looking for a program to earn his degree, he looked at the same colleges he would have considered had he gone the traditional educational route through this free website. (Click on the link.)

Then, he asked if they offered any online courses or degree programs. That helped him steer away by any fly-by-night outfits that aren’t qualified to offer real degrees in the first place.

Of course, if you need any type of federal or state financial aid or student loans, you’ll need to prove the program you picked is accredited before applying.

One danger many online students face is thinking that doing their schoolwork online will easier than if they attended regular classes. It isn’t, and often it’s harder. What happens when you don’t understand something? With your professor on the other side of your computer, you may not have access to instant answers, or you may have to dig to find the answers yourself.

Traditional students have the benefits of having a real person to talk with at the moment during class. This can be quite an adjustment for online students. Another downside to online learning is the solitude. It can be difficult to get yourself motivated after a long days work. At least when you’re forced to go to class, you have to sit there and listen whether you want to or not. Distance learning students must get on track and stay on track all by themselves.

But, despite the downsides, there are a lot of benefits to this untraditional form of earning your degree. The key is to find a good program and stick with it – no mater what. Earning a criminal justice degree is always hard – but you can do it – if you really want to.