Criminologists are professionals who help create laws and policies that prevent crime. However, they are also the experts called to a crime scene or to investigate perpetrators.
They also rehabilitate criminals and analyze the impact of crime on society. So, how do you go about becoming one? What’s the career path like? What will you be expected to do? Let’s find out.
Table of Content
How To Become A Criminologist?
What Is the Role of a Criminologist?
How To Become A Criminologist?
What Is The Criminologist’s Career Objectives And Progression?
How Long Does It Take To Become A Criminologist?
How To Become A Criminologist For The FBI?
Best Criminology Jobs, Opportunities, And Salaries 300 Words
What is the Role of a Criminologist?
The role of a criminologist is to understand crime and criminal behavior. Those who pursue criminologist careers focus on understanding the causes of the crime. They do it by analyzing social, biological, and psychological causes that lead to deviant behavior in humans.
Criminologist jobs usually have work involving:
- Researching crime patterns;
- Developing criminal profiles;
- Collaborating with law enforcement;
- And enhancing crime-prevention strategies.
They also analyze the impact of crime on society and develop tactics that help law enforcement agencies avert crimes. This allows them to reduce criminal activity while improving the justice system. Besides, they explore common criminal behaviors to identify and apprehend suspects.
How to Become a Criminologist?
You need a formal education to go after the best criminology jobs. You’ll have to earn a criminology degree in various disciplines. You can go for either criminology or criminal justice but the degree must be:
- Criminal Justice
- Criminology
- Psychology
- Sociology
There are specializations for various criminology degrees, such as:
| Criminology Degree | Specialization |
| Bachelor’s in Criminology |
|
| Master’s in Criminology |
|
| Ph.D. in Criminology |
|
Besides the formal criminologist degree requirements, you also need to develop critical skills, such as analytical, research, and communication skills. Lastly, you’ll have to seek positions in law enforcement or relative areas to build experience.
What is the Criminologist’s Career Objectives and Progression?
The career of a criminologist isn’t just about investigating crimes or singling out perpetrators. While it does make a significant part of it, a criminologist’s career path also includes understanding the causes, consequences, and societal response to crime.
Now, the career progression and objectives shift and move as you go along. Here’s what you need to know about either:
| Career Objectives | Career Progression |
| Understand the causes and consequences of crime. | Start with academic qualifications in criminology or related fields. |
| Inform public policy through research. | Entry-level roles in research, law enforcement, or social services |
| Improve crime prevention strategies. | Advancement to positions such as policy advisors, educators, or senior researchers |
| Advocate for effective rehabilitation methods | – |
As mentioned before, you start with the academic qualification. A bachelor’s/master’s degree will set you on the path, but your own quantitative skills will elevate your career. You’ll start with entry-level criminology jobs but move/make your way up.
Here’s a look at entry-level criminology jobs against senior-level jobs:
| Senior Criminology Jobs | Entry-Level Jobs |
| Policy Advisor | Police Officer |
| Crime Analyst | Correctional Officer |
| Forensic Psychologist | Crime Scene Investigator |
| Research Director | Community Development Worker |
It’s primarily considered a reward-based career, so the better you do, the higher the chances of promotion and career advancement will be.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Criminologist?
The criminologist career path begins with formal education, i.e., a bachelor’s or master’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in criminology takes 3-4 years, with a master’s degree taking additional 1-2 years. Besides, any specialization or certificate might take extra time.
One such example would be a BS in Criminology with Homeland Security and Justice Concentration at George Mason University. So, how long does each phase take? Here’s an outlook:
| Career/Education Level | Time Taken |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 3 to 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 1 to 2 years |
| Entry-Level Positions | 0 to 2 years |
| Specialized Training/Certifications | 6 months to 2 years |
| Mid-Level Positions | 2 to 5 years |
| Senior-Level Positions | 5 to 10+ years |
So, you can become a criminologist in 3-5 years and pursue internships while you’re earning the degree. However, moving to a senior position will take an additional 4-5 years after finishing formal education.
How to Become a Criminologist for the FBI?
There’s a specific process to become a criminologist in the FBI. The Federal Bureau of Investigation calls it the “Special Agent Selection System“ (SASS), which includes physical tests as well as background examinations.
This is, of course, aside from the academic qualifications and on-field accolades. So, the five key things you need to do to become one include:
- Get a criminology or criminal justice degree from a reputable/accredited university.
- Pursue experience by working in a relevant field, ideally in law enforcement or criminal investigation.
- Apply to the SASS program and pass the examinations.
- Complete the introductory field training course provided by the FBI.
- Keep on learning and taking part in training/certificates provided by the Federal Bureau.
Besides, also find criminology government jobs to earn relevant experience, as the FBI prefers it over private law enforcement experience.
Best Criminology Jobs, Opportunities, and Salaries
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average criminologist’s salary is around $74,000 per year in the United States. There are exceptions, of course, but these jobs usually fall more towards detective police work. So, the job titles look like:
- Criminologist
- Criminal Investigator
- Probation or Parole Officer
- Forensic Science Technician
- Crime Analyst
- Correctional Officer
- Victim Advocate
- Forensic Psychologist
- Cybercrime Investigator
- Police Detective
What do the job outlook/growth and salaries look like for these jobs? It’s important to remember that some of these job titles are just experience variants of the same job. For instance, criminal investigators and police detectives fall under the same category.
Nevertheless, their job responsibilities slightly differ, but their job outlook and salaries are almost the same. Here’s an outlook on job growth and wages for criminology jobs:
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary | Job Outlook |
| Criminal Investigators and Detectives | $95,000 | 5% growth |
| Forensic Science Technicians | $64,000 | 14% growth |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $54,000 | 3% growth |
| Police and Detectives | $74,00 | 4% growth |
All in all, remember that criminology jobs’ salary depends on experience and the particular field.
Conclusion
Criminology is generally considered a growing industry, considering the increasing population and subsequent crime rates. Therefore, law enforcement agencies across the United States (and around the world) require more professionals for crime prevention, investigation, and general police work.
Thus, pursuing this career is a lucrative choice. There are also varying degree options and career paths, which provide students with lots of possibilities. Therefore, if you’re one of them, we suggest thoroughly analyzing this field of work and finding a degree that suits your interests.
