Career in Criminal Invesigation Essay Sample

Blake Edwards once said, “Nothing matters but the facts. Without them, the science of criminal investigation is nothing more than a guessing game.” Criminal investigation, which is an applied science, studies facts and evidence from a crime scene where a crime has been committed. Criminal investigation includes many techniques, such as surveillance footage, analysis of physical evidence, and the development of informants. These techniques identify the truth of the crime, and who truly committed it. Although many requirements come along with criminal investigation, and it may be a difficult job, it can also be fun and rewarding.

Criminal investigation is an interesting job that requires a certain type of schooling along with different types of skills. Criminal investigators are important to the society we live in today, from collecting evidence to analyzing data. This field of work is unique and one of a kind. Criminal investigators usually work for a city or county police department, the state or another federal law enforcement agency. Their roles all depend on the state and their local laws (“What Does a Criminal Investigator Do?”). There is specific schooling and training that may be required to obtain a position in this field. “Candidates for law enforcement appointments typically attend a training academy before becoming an officer. Training includes classroom instruction in state and local laws, constitutional law, civil rights, and police ethics. Recruits also receive training and supervised experience in subjects such as patrol, traffic control, firearm use, self-defense, first aid, and emergency response” (“Police and Detective”). There are also certain types of courses that are very useful for this position. In an interview with Athan Parousis, he recommends “criminal justice and also computer science” to be successful in this career. Many skills are required for this type of job, which include good communication skills, good decision-making, and also a trustworthy person who has high ethical standards (“What Does a Criminal Investigator Do?”). There are many more that are used daily. Parousis explains that on a day-to-day basis, his position requires “problem-solving, written communication, paying attention to details, and working independently.” To be successful in this career, certain qualities are required. Some important qualities you need are perceptiveness, physical strength, and physical stamina (“Police and Detective”). This job may require an exceptional amount of schooling and skills, but in the end, the crimes solved, and the experience earned will be long-lasting.

Being a criminal investigator has many pros, but it also has many cons associated with it. This field of work has many job openings available. As of 2020, there are about 67,100 openings for police, detectives, and criminal investigators. Many of these openings are to replace those who retire or transfer to a different occupation (“Police and Detective”). It has continued to grow over the years, and “overall employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 7 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average of all occupations” (“Police and Detective”). This will create many opportunities for those interested in this career to obtain a position in the future. However, “the job isn’t much like what you see on TV-Kicking doors, search warrants, high-speed chases, it's more about getting the details right,” says Donald Martin (“What Does a Criminal Investigator Do?”). A job like this is more challenging than most would think, and it comes with a lot of responsibility and heartache. In the interview with Parousis, he stated that the most challenging part of his job is “crime involving young children.” He also stated that it's difficult to know that, “someone's life is effective in some way, shape, or form, including the person on duty.” Being involved in a career like this is never easy. “Police and detective work can be physically demanding, stressful, and dangerous” (“Police and Detective”). All those that enter this field should be ready to put their personal lives aside, especially since “criminal investigative work often involves nights and weekends” (“What Does a Criminal Investigator Do?”). Those in this career field should always be alert and ready to be called in to do their job, even if it is early in the morning. This job may have a select few downfalls; however, the pay makes up for it. In May 2020, the median annual wage for a criminal investigator was $86,940. However, the highest percent earned that year was $113,860 (“Police and Detective”). Working many hours and exceeding your potential can pay off. Hard work and dedication will be rewarded. In the end, criminal investigation is a good career to pursue for a variety of reasons, including long hours, dangerous cases, and good pay.

Finally, it's time to get the job done and solve crimes. Being a criminal investigator takes a lot of work and focus, especially when investigating a crime scene. There are many details to look for and evidence to collect. The analysis of poisons, blood, and dust, which are examples of the scientific methods of criminal investigation, are some of the most important details to look for when investigating a crime scene (Valier 88+). To get a job done, you need to collect the needed evidence at the crime scene, write very detailed reports, file and maintain records, and make sure to observe the suspects, obtain the needed warrants, and participate in the arrest of the suspect (“What Does a Criminal Investigator Do?”). If a suspect needs to be identified, “the study of the tattoo” can be used along with other evidence that has been collected (Valier 88+). All in all, criminal investigation is mostly about getting details and getting them right (“What Does a Criminal Investigator Do?”). In an old article that had been discovered, “police were investigating the shooting death of a 16-year-old girl on June 20th at the Hythe, Ala. farm of oil industry. Opponent Wiebo Ludwig Karman Willis died in the hospital after she was shot in the chest and another teenager, Shawn Westwater, was wounded” (“Police are investigating…” 5894). In this type of situation, criminal investigators were investigating the crime scene to figure out the cause and reasoning behind the death. After they had collected details and taken statements, they concluded that a pickup truck full of teens roared through Ludwig’s property at 4 a.m. Ludwig, along with Richard Boonstra, whose parents share the farm, faced several charges of oil patch vandalism (“Police are investigating…” 5894). Whenever investigating a crime, make sure to collect all the details and evidence possible to ensure the case can be solved efficiently and correctly.

In conclusion, criminal investigation is a challenging yet rewarding job and has many requirements that go along with it. But with a lot of schooling and a few skills, becoming a criminal investigator will be the best decision ever made. There may be some bumps in the road and some bad days ahead, but in the end, achievements will be made and crimes will be solved. I won’t let anyone or anything get in the way of chasing my dream and will become the criminal investigator I always dreamt of being.