What You'll Do

  • Check victims for signs of life, such as breathing and pulse.
  • Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
  • Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival.
  • Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
  • Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures.
  • Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed.
  • Obtain summary of incident from officer in charge at crime scene, taking care to avoid disturbing evidence.
  • Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene.
  • Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.
  • Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 4.38/5
Speaking 4.25/5
Critical Thinking 4.12/5
Reading Comprehension 3.88/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.88/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.88/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.75/5
Active Learning 3.5/5
Coordination 3.5/5
Service Orientation 3.5/5
Writing 3.38/5
Monitoring 3.38/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.

Common styles

Stress Tolerance, Dependability, Integrity, Attention to Detail, Cautiousness

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.38/5
Inductive Reasoning 4.38/5
Oral Expression 4.12/5
Problem Sensitivity 4.12/5
Deductive Reasoning 4.12/5
Written Comprehension 4.0/5
Information Ordering 3.88/5
Near Vision 3.88/5

Technologies & Tools

AccessData FTK Adobe Photoshop Case management software Computer aided composite drawing software Corel WordPerfect Office Suite Crime mapping software DataWorks Plus Digital CrimeScene DeChant Consulting Services iWitness DesignWare 3D EyeWitness Digital Image Management Solutions Crime Scene Email software Eos Systems PhotoModeler ESRI ArcView Geographic information system GIS software Graphics software Guidance Software EnCase Enterprise Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFIS Law enforcement information databases Linux Microsoft Access

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 5.0/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.95/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.95/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.78/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.65/5)

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Air Marshal Burglary Investigator Child Support Agent Child Support Investigator Child Support Officer CIA Agent (Central Intelligence Agency Agent) City Detective Counter Intelligence Agent Crime Analyst Crime Investigator Special Agent Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Criminal Analyst Criminal Investigations Agent Criminal Investigative Agent Criminal Investigator Criminal Investigator Special Agent Criminal Profiler Criminalist Cyber Special Agent Cybercrimes Investigator Deputy United States Marshal (Deputy US Marshal) Detective Drug Enforcement Administration Agent (DEA AGENT) Enforcement Agent FBI Field Agent (Federal Bureau of Investigation Field Agent) FBI Investigator (Federal Bureau of Investigation Investigator) FBI Profiler (Federal Bureau of Investigation Profiler) FBI Sharpshooter (Federal Bureau of Investigation Sharpshooter) FBI Special Agent (Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent) Federal Air Marshal Financial Crimes Analyst Financial Crimes Investigator Fugitive Detective Fugitive Investigator Gang Investigator Homicide Detective Homicide Investigator Identification Officer Intelligence Officer Internal Affairs Investigator Investigation Officer Investigative Analyst Investigator Law Enforcement Specialist Major Case Detective Master Police Detective Missing Persons Investigator Narcotics Agent Narcotics Detective Narcotics Investigator PI (Private Investigator) Police Detective Police Inspector Police Investigator Secret Service Agent Sex Crimes Detective Sheriff's Detective SIU Investigator (Special Investigation Unit Investigator) Special Agent Special Crimes Investigator Special Inspector Special Investigator Spy State Trooper Station Detective Undercover Cop United States Marshal (US Marshal) Vice Detective Vice Investigator Victim Liaison Violent Crimes Detective

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.