A detective is someone who investigates crimes, either for a crime they have committed or a crime that has been committed by someone they are investigating. A detective is not limited to law enforcement; they may work for corporate security, or a private firm doing internal investigations. A detective can become an officer if they are commissioned as a detective in a police force. Often times they are the last line of defense between a victim and a perpetrator, and can be the person who solve many crimes. There are a variety of different types of detectives in the field, from those who specialize in one area, such as child abuse detectives, to those who are multi-specialty.
A detective who specializes in one area may have specialized training in a certain area, such as fingerprinting, which allows them to match suspects with their Crime Scene Analysis (CSA) prints. A fingerprint is a record of an individual’s fingerprint. If an individual leaves a cigarette burn or any other kind of evidence near a crime scene, then the local police will perform a CSA scan of the print and use the results to find possible matches. If these match, then the detective will conduct further investigation and get the suspect’s personal details and report back to the police department.
Detective work is varied, but there are a number of specific specialties within the field. Internal investigations are investigations that are done internally, such as personnel records, insurance investigations, fraudulent, and civil litigation. Internal criminal investigators investigate crime scenes or crimes inside the workplace, such as theft, employee theft, violence, sexual harassment, and employee crimes such as sexual battery, sexual abuse, and murder.
Another type of detective is forensic criminologist, which is the scientific study of criminal cases. Forensic scientists examine crime scenes and collect samples from the scene, collect DNA samples from the samples, and perform testing on the samples to determine if the sample contains DNA from the suspected criminal, and if so, compare the extracted DNA from the samples to samples from the suspect. FBI agents, who conduct FBI criminal investigations, possess the knowledge and training to conduct these complex and sensitive criminal cases. Other types of forensic investigators are forensic dentists, forensic nurses, and forensic technicians.
The job outlook for being a detective varies depending on several factors. Depending on the jurisdiction in which he works, the detective has the flexibility to choose when to work, if he wants to work full time, and how much overtime he is allowed to work. Different jurisdictions also have different requirements for the kind of licensing a detective must have in order to be able to legally practice as one. Some jurisdictions require that a detective take state-mandated psychological tests before being able to practice as a detective; others only require that he have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or criminal law.
As a detective, your primary obligation will likely be to gather evidence and testimony in the course of an investigation. If you are called upon to provide investigative support in a legal case, the roles and responsibilities that you will assume will vary depending on the jurisdiction in which you work. Some jurisdictions will allow you to make anonymous telephone calls posing as a witness, which will enable you to give your opinion about the credibility of a witness’s account of an event. Other detectives will be allowed to use undercover techniques such as planting a hidden recording device in a person’s vehicle or residence. Often times, a detective’s role in a legal case will involve surveillance, secret observation, interviewing witnesses, gathering evidence, and making an analysis of the evidence.
Communication skills are an essential part of being a good detective, and you will need a decent level of communication skills, including listening skill, written communication, and good oral communication. Good detectives not only communicate their findings to their commanding officers, they also need to formulate investigative plans and follow up with their subordinates to ensure that their objectives are met. Detectives can work in a variety of different law enforcement agencies, but their most common place of employment is in narcotic and gang units. If you possess these basic skills, you may wish to consider a career in this area of law enforcement.
Although being a detective is a wonderful profession, it also entails having many different duties. A good detective will spend most of his or her day performing a number of different duties to ensure the investigation and reporting of crimes is completed in a timely manner. Most Detective receive specialized training in one or more areas of criminal justice and must complete a year of specialization in order to obtain a professional license. Once you have completed your specialized training and passed the state exam, you will be able to apply for a job in this field by approaching your local law enforcement agency or department. If you have excellent communication skills, a burning desire to find out facts, and an aptitude for deductive reasoning you may have a bright future in the criminal justice field.