Law Enforcement Careers on TV
by Robyn Tellefsen
Want a look into the criminal mind? Consider these leading-edge law enforcement careers, featured on today's hottest TV shows.
Law enforcement career: Correctional officer
See it on TV: "Prison Break"
Beat: If you're drawn to protective services, consider working among the prison population as a correctional officer. The job calls for maintaining the security of a correctional facility in order to prevent disturbances, assaults, and escapes. Officers must perform routine searches for contraband, settle disputes between inmates, and enforce discipline.
Background check: Most institutions require correctional officers to have a high school education, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons requires at least a bachelor's degree.
Bounty: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), median annual earnings of correctional officers were $36,970 in May 2007; the highest 10 percent earned more than $62,240.
Law enforcement career: FBI agent
See it on TV: "Criminal Minds"
Beat: If you're ready to give your life to law enforcement, you may be a candidate for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI agents investigate federal law violations such as cyber crime, drug trafficking, espionage, kidnapping, organized crime, and terrorism, and conduct sensitive national security investigations.
Background check: Aspiring FBI agents must have a bachelor's degree and at least three years of professional work experience, or an advanced degree and two years of professional work experience.
Bounty: According to the BLS, in 2007, FBI agents entered federal service at a base salary of $48,159, which translated into about $60,199 with availability pay. Agents who advanced to field nonsupervisory assignments earned a base salary of $75,414, which was worth $94,268 with availability pay.
Law enforcement career: Parole officer
See it on TV: "CSI: Miami"
Beat: If you want to help criminal offenders change their ways, consider a career in community supervision. Parole officers work with and monitor offenders who have been released from prison to help them stay out of trouble and prevent them from committing new crimes.
Background check: Parole officers are usually required to hold a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, psychology, social work, or a related field. Candidates who lack work experience may be required to hold a master's degree.
Bounty: In May 2007, parole officers earned a median annual salary of $44,510, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $75,790, according to the BLS.
Law enforcement career: Police detective
See it on TV: "The Closer"
Beat: If you've got a knack for reading people, consider a police detective career path. In this line of work, you may specialize in investigating one area of violations, such as fraud, homicide, or theft. Bonus: Police detectives are often able to retire with a pension after 25 or 30 years of service, which permits them to pursue a second career in their 40s or 50s.
Background check: Police detectives must have a high school education at the minimum, and some departments require a year or two of college coursework. Federal and state agencies typically require a degree in law enforcement or administration of justice.
Bounty: The BLS reports that in May 2007, median annual earnings of police detectives were $59,930, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $95,630.
Law enforcement career: Private investigator
See it on TV: "Pushing Daisies"
Beat: If you're a "work outside the box" kind of person, private investigation may be a good fit for you. The job, which includes physical surveillance, computer database searches, and a number of other information-gathering techniques, calls for irregular hours and lots of ingenuity.
Background check: Some private investigators start work soon after completing an associate or bachelor's degree program in criminal justice or police science. And former police detectives often apply their prior work experience to a second career as private investigators.
Bounty: Employment of private investigators is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2016, according to the BLS. Median annual earnings of salaried private investigators were $37,640 in May 2007; the highest 10 percent earned more than $72,280.
Law enforcement career: Correctional officer
See it on TV: "Prison Break"
Beat: If you're drawn to protective services, consider working among the prison population as a correctional officer. The job calls for maintaining the security of a correctional facility in order to prevent disturbances, assaults, and escapes. Officers must perform routine searches for contraband, settle disputes between inmates, and enforce discipline.
Background check: Most institutions require correctional officers to have a high school education, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons requires at least a bachelor's degree.
Bounty: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), median annual earnings of correctional officers were $36,970 in May 2007; the highest 10 percent earned more than $62,240.
Law enforcement career: FBI agent
See it on TV: "Criminal Minds"
Beat: If you're ready to give your life to law enforcement, you may be a candidate for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FBI agents investigate federal law violations such as cyber crime, drug trafficking, espionage, kidnapping, organized crime, and terrorism, and conduct sensitive national security investigations.
Background check: Aspiring FBI agents must have a bachelor's degree and at least three years of professional work experience, or an advanced degree and two years of professional work experience.
Bounty: According to the BLS, in 2007, FBI agents entered federal service at a base salary of $48,159, which translated into about $60,199 with availability pay. Agents who advanced to field nonsupervisory assignments earned a base salary of $75,414, which was worth $94,268 with availability pay.
Law enforcement career: Parole officer
See it on TV: "CSI: Miami"
Beat: If you want to help criminal offenders change their ways, consider a career in community supervision. Parole officers work with and monitor offenders who have been released from prison to help them stay out of trouble and prevent them from committing new crimes.
Background check: Parole officers are usually required to hold a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, psychology, social work, or a related field. Candidates who lack work experience may be required to hold a master's degree.
Bounty: In May 2007, parole officers earned a median annual salary of $44,510, with the highest 10 percent earning more than $75,790, according to the BLS.
Law enforcement career: Police detective
See it on TV: "The Closer"
Beat: If you've got a knack for reading people, consider a police detective career path. In this line of work, you may specialize in investigating one area of violations, such as fraud, homicide, or theft. Bonus: Police detectives are often able to retire with a pension after 25 or 30 years of service, which permits them to pursue a second career in their 40s or 50s.
Background check: Police detectives must have a high school education at the minimum, and some departments require a year or two of college coursework. Federal and state agencies typically require a degree in law enforcement or administration of justice.
Bounty: The BLS reports that in May 2007, median annual earnings of police detectives were $59,930, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $95,630.
Law enforcement career: Private investigator
See it on TV: "Pushing Daisies"
Beat: If you're a "work outside the box" kind of person, private investigation may be a good fit for you. The job, which includes physical surveillance, computer database searches, and a number of other information-gathering techniques, calls for irregular hours and lots of ingenuity.
Background check: Some private investigators start work soon after completing an associate or bachelor's degree program in criminal justice or police science. And former police detectives often apply their prior work experience to a second career as private investigators.
Bounty: Employment of private investigators is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2016, according to the BLS. Median annual earnings of salaried private investigators were $37,640 in May 2007; the highest 10 percent earned more than $72,280.
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