Are there age, height, or gender limitations in criminal justice careers?
Agencies are interested in abilities, rather than arbitrary standards. However, the Federal government is allowed to set a maximum age for law enforcement applicants, usually 35 or 37 years old. Local and state agencies cannot discriminate on age as long as the applicant is at least 21-years-old and can meet the physical ability standards of the agency.There is no height requirement except to be of a size that allows the applicant to meet all critical tasks of the position. Some agencies do use proportionate height/weight standards as part of their fitness standards.There are no gender limitations, except for agencies that assign only female staff members to supervise female inmates in a correction facility. In most male correction facilities, both female and male corrections officers work within the institution.
Agencies are interested in abilities, rather than arbitrary standards. However, the Federal government is allowed to set a maximum age for law enforcement applicants, usually 35 or 37 years old. Local and state agencies cannot discriminate on age as long as the applicant is at least 21-years-old and can meet the physical ability standards of the agency. There is no height requirement except to be of a size that allows the applicant to meet all critical tasks of the position. Some agencies do use proportionate height/weight standards as part of their fitness standards. There are no gender limitations, except for agencies that assign only female staff members to supervise female inmates in a correction facility. In most male correction facilities, both female and male corrections officers work within the institution.
