Job outlook for security escorts in the United States

Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Security Escorts?

Jennifer Balboni: Yes! Without question, over the last year, the pandemic has impacted nearly every occupation around the globe. These effects were felt most keenly in the medical field, but the impact in the criminal justice field has been incredibly steep as well, and the changes for police, courts, and corrections promise to be around even once this pandemic is more under control. First, it's important to note that police professionals are currently managing twin crises: the pandemic and public tumult stemming from a series of well-publicized needless deaths of young African Americans at the hands of police. It's nearly impossible to disentangle the impact of the pandemic from the impact of the crisis of legitimacy in policing, as these are happening simultaneously. This means that, in addition to the stressors of the job related to the pandemic, policing right now is fundamentally more stressful. As the public demands reform, organizations are shifting their priorities in response. New graduates who wish to pursue law enforcement would be wise to identify agencies that share their value system and commitment to justice so that they are part of this field's positive evolution.
In the fields of corrections and the courts, the implications of the pandemic are equally important-- although much less discussed in the media. Courts are currently facing significant backlogs (few juries have been convened during the last year-leaving a logjam of many open criminal cases). Correctional institutions have used the pandemic as the impetus to de-carcerate, which shifts responsibilities from institutional to community corrections, as those released are often in need of support services in order to be successful. Analysts predict that the reduction in the incarcerated population could bring some savings to local and state budgets, and this may provide some pressure to make the efforts to de-carcerate more permanent. Both of these fields are adapting and it is likely that the pandemic's impact will be long-lasting.
While new graduates certainly will be facing unprecedented challenges in their new professional roles, it's important to consider that this stress can also bring significant opportunity. If necessity is the mother of invention, then creative and energetic graduates may have more opportunity to implement innovative responses they've learned about in college in these fields in the near future.