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FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR (OR LEAD DETECTIVE): CAREER OUTLOOK & EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Crime scene investigation is composed of many different parts. Toxicology, psychology, ballistics, financial, and cyber divisions can all come into play within the context of a single crime. All of these diverse elements work in the service of one individual: the forensic investigator, also known as the lead detective.
The role of a forensic investigator is a complex leadership position. Often working for a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency, he or she shares many responsibilities and competencies with detectives: conducting interviews, securing crime scenes, analyzing public and private records, and writing detailed investigative reports. By taking on the lead role, a forensic investigator is also responsible for managing diverse and often siloed forensic teams while orchestrating the overall strategic direction of an investigation. Further still, a lead detective may have to coordinate with his or her counterparts at other federal, state, and local agencies to ensure that both smooth communication and chain-of-evidence integrity is maintained.
Forensic investigators may specialize in a particular discipline of criminal justice, such as cybercrime or financial crime, which may dictate where they work. A financial crime expert may work in the investigations arm of the Internal Revenue Service, and a cybercrime expert may work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cyber Division, for example.
However, as criminal elements grow increasingly sophisticated and investigations become more interdisciplinary, even local law enforcement agencies are looking for dedicated talent in previously niche areas of specialization. Lead detectives are now expected to be familiar with the varied languages of multiple investigative departments.
Lead detectives need to be detail oriented, strategically minded multitaskers who can manage multiple teams working in a fast-paced environment that contains little room for error as the stakes can sometimes involve human lives. The work environment varies and can be physically demanding as working hours can be long and arduous.
Considering all of the work in the pursuit of justice, a spotless sense of ethics—with background checks to verify that sense—is mandatory. While the stress and requirements of this job can be significant, so is the reward: the satisfaction of making the world a safer and fairer place to live.
JOB OUTLOOK AND SALARY PROSPECTS
According to Bloomberg, crime rates are falling in the United States. However, the need for competent forensic investigators is not likely to fade any time soon. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not distinguish between police officers and detectives, but the general estimation for this group of professionals is a 7 percent job growth between 2016 and 2026.
Salary rates are similarly tricky to unpack. The BLS (2017) does have salary and employment data for detectives, but not for those in a lead detective position. Of the 105,350 detectives on record as of 2016, the median salary was $83,320 a year.
Lead detectives, however, are likely to possess higher levels of education and more experience than the average detective, and thus are more likely to earn an above-average salary. Returning to the BLS data, detectives in the 10th percentile earned $42,880 a year, while those in the 90th percentile earned $135,530.
A significant factor to consider when looking at salary and employment data is geographic location. Since forensic investigators typically work for federal, state, and local law enforcement, the largest number of detectives is in the states with the largest populations: Texas, California, Florida, and New York.
However, the top-paying states are uncorrelated with population size: Alaska, California, and New Jersey all pay detectives an average of over $100,000 a year. Large metropolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles, and geographically well-positioned places for the profession—such as Washington DC, home to all federal agencies—have high employment numbers and high average salaries to match.
