Criminal Investigator

Criminal Investigator

Being a private investigator means being involved in the many aspects of the profession. For the large part, this line of work is 90% routine and free of any form of physical danger. There can be a little spice and higher financial rewards working in the niche of criminal investigation, especially one with a license. In the United States for example, in order to be recognized as a licensed private detective, a candidate has to be capable of proving that they have logged up 6,000 hours of practical investigative experience. That's a lot of hours.

And even though they can prove that they have the necessary hours under their belt, the potential criminal investigator has to pass a written exam, which is described as "uncompromising." That means that even if you have the experience, you have to be able to put it down on paper, before receiving a very valuable piece of paper in return, your certificate!

Forensic Detectives - Criminal Investigator

Forensic Detectives in the field of private investigation handling criminal cases are usually ex police detectives or people who have gathered their experience working for one of the Private Detective agencies. There are more and more who have come through the field and studied and gained a diploma in criminal investigation. Irrespective of that fact, these novices in the field will still have to clock up the many hours of practical experience. This they usually do by joining either the police force, a detective agency or working as an apprentice at a private investigation agency. The obvious preference would be one that specializes in criminal investigation.

Professional Spy Camera

In the beginning serving an apprenticeship as private criminal investigator is not one of the best paid jobs around. To see it through and complete an apprenticeship will require a major combination of discipline and determination. However, for those who are suited for the job and enjoy doing the rewards can be very high, both financially and intellectually.

Most apprentices and relatively inexperience criminal investigators find themselves cutting their teeth in insurance fraud. This is the most common form of crime that is not handled by public or detective agencies. A lot of the cases that the fledgling investigator will be sent to handle will be of a very low level. However this is where the novice investigator will gain their practical experience as well as putting in all the hours they require to be eligible to take their criminal investigator's test and gain their invaluable certificate.

As the saying goes "no pain-no gain" and this especially applies to the world of the private criminal investigator. All the preparation will prove worthwhile once that licence has been gained, and after that it very much depends on the individual ability's and skills of the individual to see how far they will go in the profession.

As in any other profession, the levels of professionalism and the desire to learn more will decide success. Specialized training as a criminal investigator can bring higher financial rewards. Criminal investigators have to move with the times and learn as much as they can, and as quickly as they can, on all the latest methods of criminal surveillance through electronic means. 

A worthwhile criminal investigator should come complete with all the latest equipment. These will include a powerful digital still camera with a high powered telephoto lens, a digital video camera, and digital tape recorders.

Computer knowledge is vital. Today more and more emphasis is placed on computer fraud. Computer crime is the latest phase in the criminal world. Sad to say, a criminal investigator who recognizes this fact will be guaranteed a steady flow of work.