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Researched by Carmen L. & Molly C. 2001-02 |
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What Do They Do?
Detectives investigate crime, locate missing people, and collect evidence.
They find the information needed through interviews and investigations.
They help lawyers find information that will help defend their clients.
Detectives work indoors and outdoors in all kinds of weather. They usually
work about 40 hours per week, but when they first become detectives they
may work part time. As a detective you will often have to work evenings,
mornings, weekends, and holidays. When they work outside they usually sit
in vehicles to watch people, places or things. They sometimes specialize
in one particular area. A store detective might work in department stores,
clothing stores, or drug stores.
What are the different kinds of Detectives?
There are four different kinds of detectives. Government-employed detectives work for police departments, they investigate different types of crimes, but mainly their time is spent writing reports, and filling out forms. Private detectives receive all different assignments from all kinds of people. They thoroughly investigate the crime privately, but if they come to a corpse they must report it to the police. There are also store detectives, FBI agents, and private eyes, which are all closely related jobs.
How Much Do Detectives Get Paid?
Detectives get paid an average of $47,000.00-$49,000.00 per year depending on their experience. So that means they earn about $190 per day, (Pretty good huh!)
What Are Some Tools That Detectives Use That Are In Detection Field Kits?
Some tools that detectives use during a field detection are notebooks, watches, clipboards, pens, pencils, chalk, rubber gloves, ruler, hammers, steel tape, flashlight, wax, plasticine, pliers, screwdriver, knife, scalpel, sheers, tweezers, medicine dropper, containers for evidence, magnifier, cameras, tape recorder, plaster casting kit, fingerprint kit, and metal detection devices. They may also wear bulletproof clothing materials to prevent them from being badly hurt or even killed.
What Are Some Advantages of Being A Detective?
Some advantages of being a detective are that you earn a decent amount of money, and you get to help solve crimes. Most detectives like their job and are very highly motivated to work hard.
What Are Some Disadvantages Of Being A Detective?
Some disadvantages of being a detective are that it can be a dangerous job; the working conditions can fall on holidays, and weekends.
Fingerprints
Detectives use magnifiers, fingerprint powders (such as talcum and graphite), fingerprint brushes, tweezers, transparent tape, and fingerprint cards to preserve the development of fingerprints, so they can solve cases now, and in years to come.
When you lift up a fingerprint, first you need to cut off about an inch
of transparent tape and hold it with tweezers. Then you gently press it
against the powdered fingerprint, make sure the whole fingerprint is covered.
After that you lift a corner of the tape with tweezers and remove it as
gently as possible. The fingerprint should come up with the transparent
tape.
What Are Some Training Requirements?
The only training requirements are a high school diploma, and the 11-week training course that must be taken for any career in the law enforcement field today. Some classes are recommended, such as creative writing, typing (normal and advanced), PE, science, English, math, social studies, foreign language, and journalism. Getting a degree in law enforcement is also a recommended idea.
How Many Detectives Are There In Washington?
There are approximately 2,200 detectives in Washington state.
What Is The Outlook In The Future Of Detectives?
The outlook in Washington is pretty good compared to other states. Compared to the U.S. the outlook is still very good.
History!
With 30,000 police officers, the Scotland Yard (which is located in England) is the most famous police headquarters in the whole world, not only because of the large amount of officers, the criminological laboratories, or the big collection of fingerprint files, but because of all the mysteries that have been solved there.
In the early 1900's, police didn’t wear uniforms; they just wore plain clothes. Police used to be called "bobbies" after a man named Sr. Robert Piel. (Bobbie Piel who worked in the Scotland yard)
Back in 476-1450 AD detectives had no way of telling if a suspect was
innocent or guilty. If you were reported as a supposed thief you had your
hand amputated, a supposed liar, your tongue chopped off, and a supposed
killer, beheaded. As the years went on the punishment was a little improved,
suspects were questioned, in the torture chamber. If they confessed of
the crime they died at the stake the next day, but if the denied it they
died on the rack. Until the 19th century, punishment was performed this
way. Due to Francois Vidocq, all criminals were thoroughly questioned before
a court and jury.
Famous Detectives
1. Auguste Dupin was the first detective to solve a crime using just pure logic.
2. Allan Pinkerton was the first original private eye. He created an agency in Chicago that branched to different cities. After many years of hard work Allan’s agency got discovered in the Northwest. His workers were called "Pinkerton Men".
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