Television has brought the world of criminal investigation into everybody’s homes on a nightly basis. Shows that focus on crime scene forensics, cold cases and unsolved mysteries are hugely popular because they’re so fascinating in nature. Imagine finding incriminating evidence on a piece of clothing that’s been in police storage for three decades or using your linguistics training to determine that the suspect on the other end of a 911 call is lying. It sounds incredible, but this accurately describes the job of a criminal intelligence analyst.
What Does a Criminal Intelligence Analyst Do?
A criminal intelligence analyst analyzes data to identify patterns and predict where crimes may occur. These specialists are employed by Homeland Security, the military, local police departments, federal law enforcement, research corporations and more. In this role, you may play a part in preventing terror attacks, or you may help prevent the theft of new technology from the lab where it’s being invented. Criminal intelligence analysts may work in forensics, helping to build profiles of those who’ve committed criminal acts. Or, they may be instrumental in building databases for organizations such as Interpol.
In your day-to-day routine as an intelligence analyst, you may perform the following tasks:
- Analyze incoming intelligence reports from a variety of trusted sources.
- Identify patterns in data and make predictions.
- Provide written reports and make presentations on your findings.
- Meet with representatives of other law-enforcement agencies to share information.
- Put together teams of other analysts for the purpose of interpreting large amounts of data.
In the role of criminal intelligence analyst, you could help solve cold cases, prevent bombings, prevent the theft and distribution of harmful biological agents or predict when it’s appropriate to heighten the National Terrorism Advisory Level.
Career Outlook
The demand for criminal analysis has been on the rise since 2004. It’s expected to keep increasing through the year 2029, growing around 1.29 percent annually. Jobwise, this translates into about 8,720 new job openings over the next six years.
Texas, California, and New York lead the job market in this occupation, with Arizona and Florida sharing second place. This means if you decide to pursue this exciting and dynamic career, you may want to consider relocating to an area where jobs are most in demand.
How Criminal Intelligence Relates to Criminal Justice
Crime has come a long way in the past few decades, becoming more and more sophisticated. And through the efforts of investigative analysis, police departments are better able to keep pace. It is the job of the criminal analyst to help define how and where crime is taking place, such as which businesses are acting as fronts for drug or human trafficking and how items are being moved from place to place. Through the interpretation of data, analysts can help detect instances of fraud, extortion or even murder. They may be able to predict when these types of events are about to occur on a large scale and be instrumental in helping police prevent tragedy and apprehend the major players.
Criminal Intelligence Analyst Job Description
The primary duties of a criminal intelligence analyst are to help identify crime patterns and provide valuable insights to law enforcement personnel to aid in crime prevention and help police departments improve their response techniques.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Analyze collected data
- Monitor law enforcement databases
- Report findings
- Develop new forensic methods and technology
- Enter data into databases
- Partner with law enforcement
- Perform clerical and administration duties
Employment in this field is varied and interesting, and a job in criminal investigative analysis could lead to a career you’ll love.
Importance of Data Analysis in Crime
The analysis of collected data is huge in today’s criminal justice system. Knowing how to handle and interpret this data could mean the difference between solving a crime and letting a serial offender go free.
Research and Analysis
Research and analysis of crime-reported data serve multiple purposes. For instance, by researching databases such as NBRT (National Ballistics Research Database), law enforcement can often match the tool marks on bullets to the guns used to commit crimes. By accessing the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), police can check to see if a suspect has a prior criminal record and the types of crimes with which they’ve been charged. Criminal intelligence analysts are responsible for monitoring these types of databases for important changes, and they may be instrumental in uploading information to the database.
Statistics and Information Technology
Statistics and IT are vital components of the criminal justice system. For example, the U.S. Department of Justice uses information like this to decide where to allocate funds for police departments, the court system and correctional facilities. They use it to determine when and where to raise pay rates for justice employees. And they can see which departments are being stretched beyond their means.
There are also many additional databases available for law enforcement users to peruse, including ones that compare prison data, arrest data, data on parolees and more. These are all helpful resources for detectives to use when solving crimes. Some, such as those that compare crime statistics, are even available to the public.
Criminal intelligence analysts play an important role in the accumulation, uploading and interpretation of these types of data.
Skills and Resources for Criminal Intelligence Analysts
These professionals need a strong background in criminology and crime analysis. If you decide to pursue a degree in criminal intelligence analysis, you’ll accumulate these important skills, along with several others.
Criminal Justice Background
A background or degree in criminal justice will help you develop these important skills. It will also give you knowledge of the legal and the court system and how they work together to bring offenders to justice. You’ll learn about the American corrections system, theories behind the many causes of crime and the foundations of criminal justice. This knowledge will help you to collect evidence correctly, interpret the evidence correctly and arrive at reasonable conclusions.
Crime Scene Skills and Knowledge
Crime scene knowledge includes an understanding of how blood reacts to certain situations, how to locate and accurately collect fingerprints and how to interpret these types of data effectively. For example, it takes a lot of skill to understand the various loops, whorls and arches in a fingerprint. It’s also necessary to understand the many different patterns blood may create at a crime scene. This helps investigators better understand how crimes occur.
As a criminal analyst, you’ll need a keen understanding of this type of data in order to interpret it correctly. In fact, law enforcement officers will rely on your skills in interpretation, and the conclusions you arrive at could help identify the perpetrator of a crime.
Linguistic Skills
Linguistic skills refer to the finer points of how people communicate. When you study linguistics in a criminal justice setting, you’ll learn about features such as dialect and phonetics. This will help you more skillfully interpret both written and recorded evidence. For instance, you may be asked to determine whether a suicide note was actually written by the deceased or if it may have been written under duress. You may be asked to determine whether a signature on a check is genuine or if it was forged. Linguistic skills can also help you better detect when someone, such as a suspect or witness, is telling the truth or lying.
Communication Skills
Communication skills are always important in the workplace, but they’re especially important for the criminal analyst. Because you’ll be required to partner with other professionals and departments within the criminal justice system, knowing how to effectively get your point across will be vital. You may also be asked to talk with suspects, convicted felons or victims and their families as part of your daily routine.
Criminal Intelligence Analyst Job Requirements
Criminal intelligence analyst requirements include a wide variety of skills, many of which you’ll learn throughout the course of earning your degree. Most employers require the minimum of a bachelor’s degree in criminology, criminal justice or criminal justice policy or research.
Education and Certifications
There are many college programs available that will help you advance your career in criminal justice. Many students begin by earning either a certificate or associate degree in criminal justice. This may qualify them to find an entry-level position in the field, such as in the role of a corrections officer or bailiff.
However, those who are drawn to criminal investigation will need an advanced degree. While a bachelor’s degree is a great jumping-off point, earning your Master of Arts in Criminal Justice or your Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Interdisciplinary Studies may make the difference between finding a job and enjoying a rewarding and fulfilling career. Beyond master’s degrees, there are also doctoral degree options in this field, such as a Doctor of Criminal Justice (DCJ) or PhD in Criminal Justice and Criminology. These can further distinguish you from your peers and can position you for teaching or research positions.
Programs and Training
Keiser University Graduate School offers two master’s degree programs in criminal justice and one in homeland security. By taking as few as 33 additional semester hours of credit beyond your bachelor’s degree, you may meet the requirements to work for influential agencies such as the U.S. Marshall’s Office, The Federal Bureau of Investigations or the Secret Service. And the required coursework can usually be completed in one to two years.
How to Know if Criminal Intelligence Is for You
If you’re intrigued by the possibility of helping solve crimes and bring offenders to justice through the use of science, the criminal justice analyst job description may fit your career aspirations. Imagine yourself working in a busy laboratory, analyzing evidence such as fingerprints, shell casings, blood patterns or written signatures. Envision yourself meeting with other law enforcement officials to share your findings. See yourself testifying as an expert witness in court and bringing someone to justice for the crimes they’ve committed.
If this sounds like a career you would find fulfilling, then earning your degree in a criminal justice-related field could be the right choice for you.
Contact Keiser for More Info on Criminal Justice!
For more information on the many degree programs available at Keiser University Graduate School, request info today. Keiser offers a range of master’s, specialist, certificate, and doctoral programs that are geared toward giving you an advantage in your chosen career. Our small class sizes allow for a level of personalized instruction you won’t find elsewhere.
