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Career Details :: Criminal Investigators and Special Agents

Description

Investigate alleged or suspected criminal violations of federal, state, or local laws to determine if evidence is sufficient to recommend prosecution.

Experience

A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Tasks

• Obtains and verifies evidence or establishes facts by interviewing, observing, and interrogating suspects and witnesses and analyzing records.
• Testifies before grand juries.
• Serves subpoenas or other official papers.
• Photographs, fingerprints, and measures height and weight of arrested suspects, noting physical characteristics, and posts data on record for filing.
• Reports critical information to and coordinates activities with other offices or agencies when applicable.
• Presents findings in reports.
• Maintains surveillance and performs undercover assignments.
• Develops and uses informants to get leads to information.
• Compares crime scene fingerprints with those of suspect or fingerprint files to identify perpetrator, using computer.
• Obtains and uses search and arrest warrants.
• Searches for evidence, dusts surfaces to reveal latent fingerprints, and collects and records evidence and documents, using cameras and investigative equipment.
• Examines records to detect links in chain of evidence or information.
• Assists in determining scope, timing, and direction of investigation.
• Analyzes charge, complaint, or allegation of law violation to identify issues involved and types of evidence needed.

Related Careers

• Child Support, Missing Persons, and Unemployment Insurance Fraud Investigators
  
• Fire Inspectors
  
• Fire Investigators
  
• Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
  
• Immigration and Customs Inspectors
  
• Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
  
• Police Detectives
  
• Private Detectives and Investigators
  
• Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs
  
• Transit and Railroad Police
  

Important Abilities

• Oral Expression
• Inductive Reasoning
• Oral Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Near Vision

General Work Activities

• Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
• Analyzing Data or Information
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Communicating With Other Workers
• Judging Qualities of Things, Service, People

Important Skills

• Information Gathering
  
• Active Listening
  
• Speaking
  
• Critical Thinking
  
• Information Organization
  

Frequent Work Context

• Job-Required Social Interaction
• Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
• Consequence of Error
• Objective or Subjective Information
• Frustrating Circumstances

Related Majors

Major (A) Associate (B) Bachelors (C) Certificate (D) Doctor (M) Master	Add to XapPack
Administration of Justice (M)	[ add ]
Computer Investigation/Criminal Justice (B)	[ add ]
Criminal Investigation/Penology (B)	[ add ]
Criminal Investigations (B)	[ add ]
Criminal Justice/General (B)	[ add ]
Criminal Justice/Generalist (B)	[ add ]
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement (A)	[ add ]
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement (B)	[ add ]
Criminal Justice/Loss Control (B)	[ add ]
Investigations (B)	[ add ]
Law Enforcement (A)	[ add ]
Law Enforcement (B)	[ add ]
Law Enforcement Administration (A)	[ add ]
Law Enforcement Technology (A)	[ add ]
Law Enforcement/Justice Administration (B)	[ add ]
Law Enforcement/Justice Administration (M)	[ add ]
Law Enforcement/Police Science (B)	[ add ]
Police Leadership (M)	[ add ]
Police Science (A)	[ add ]
Police Science (B)	[ add ]
Police Science/Administration (A)	[ add ]
Police Science/Administration (B)	[ add ]
Police Studies/Administration (A)	[ add ]
Police Studies/Administration (B)	[ add ]
Pre-Forensics (B)	[ add ]

Institutions Offering Related Majors

College	Key Facts	Add to XapPack
Aims Community College - Greeley Campus	[ view ]	[ add ]
Alamance Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Allegany College of Maryland	[ view ]	[ add ]
American InterContinental University in Los Angeles	[ view ]	[ add ]
Arapahoe Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro	[ view ]	[ add ]
Bainbridge College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Bellevue University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Butte College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Central Pennsylvania College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Central Wyoming College	[ view ]	[ add ]
City College of San Francisco	[ view ]	[ add ]
Clinton Community College - Iowa	[ view ]	[ add ]
College of Eastern Utah	[ view ]	[ add ]
Colorado Northwestern Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Columbia-Greene Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Community College of Aurora	[ view ]	[ add ]
Community College of Rhode Island - Flanagan Campus	[ view ]	[ add ]
Community College of Rhode Island - Knight Campus	[ view ]	[ add ]
Community College of Rhode Island - Providence Campus	[ view ]	[ add ]
CSU Stanislaus	[ view ]	[ add ]
Cuesta College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Cuyamaca College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Dean College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Delaware Valley College	[ view ]	[ add ]
East Central University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Eastern Kentucky University	[ view ]	[ add ]
El Camino College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Florida Metropolitan University - Fort Lauderdale College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Fox Valley Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Fox Valley Technical College - Oshkosh Campus	[ view ]	[ add ]
George Washington University, The	[ view ]	[ add ]
Georgia Southern University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Harrisburg Area Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Idaho State University - Pocatello	[ view ]	[ add ]
Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce Campus	[ view ]	[ add ]
John Jay College of Criminal Justice	[ view ]	[ add ]
Labette Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Lake Area Technical Institute	[ view ]	[ add ]
Lake Superior State University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Lakeland College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Lees-McRae College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Marian University	[ view ]	[ add ]
McPherson College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Mendocino College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Methodist University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Metropolitan State University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Minnesota State University, Mankato	[ view ]	[ add ]
Mississippi College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Missouri Southern State College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Morgan Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Mountain State University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Murray State University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Nashville State Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Northeast Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Northeast Kansas Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Northern Maine Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Northern Michigan University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Northwest Kansas Technical School	[ view ]	[ add ]
Pennsylvania College of Technology	[ view ]	[ add ]
Pikes Peak Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Point Park College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Pueblo Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Randolph Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Red Rocks Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Riverside City College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Saint Louis University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota	[ view ]	[ add ]
Salve Regina University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Sam Houston State University	[ view ]	[ add ]
San Diego Miramar College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Scott Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	[ view ]	[ add ]
Skyline College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale	[ view ]	[ add ]
Southern University and A&M College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Southern West Virginia Community & Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Southwest State University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
St. Ambrose University	[ view ]	[ add ]
SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville	[ view ]	[ add ]
SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale	[ view ]	[ add ]
SUNY Empire State College - Coordinating Center	[ view ]	[ add ]
Tallahassee Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Texas State Technical College Waco	[ view ]	[ add ]
Texas State University - San Marcos	[ view ]	[ add ]
Tiffin University	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Arkansas - Little Rock	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Arkansas - Monticello	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Central Oklahoma	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Indianapolis	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Miami	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Regina	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Southern Mississippi	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of St. Thomas - MN	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of the District of Columbia	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of the Virgin Islands	[ view ]	[ add ]
University of Toledo	[ view ]	[ add ]
Wake Technical Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Westchester Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Western Carolina University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Western Illinois University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Western Oregon University	[ view ]	[ add ]
Western Wisconsin Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Westwood College of Technology/Health Careers Division	[ view ]	[ add ]
Wilkes Community College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Williston State College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Wilmington College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College	[ view ]	[ add ]
Youngstown State University	[ view ]	[ add ]