The scholarly articles and books mainly pay attention to law enforcement, corrections and courts professions when it comes to students in criminal justice. These careers are extremely popular and remarkable which attracts many students, but there many careers in criminal justice in the private sector available for students. Majority of the criminal justice employment opportunities are in fields such as security, analysis of intelligence, education, consultation, investigation, research, intelligence agencies and defense contractors among others ( Lister & Hucklesby, 2018). Towards the end of the 19 th century the expenditure in criminal justice doubled which led to a tremendous increase in the public cost of expenditure. This contributed to a shortfall in both the local and state revenue, which raised the debate of whether crime can be controlled using less finances or investing in other sectors is more pertinent ( Lister & Hucklesby, 2018) . Both the government and the private sector have a corresponding role to ensure that crime is controlled without forfeiting the public safety. Many criminal justice students are in the modern day venturing into numerous careers in the private sector such as private investigators, external fraud analysts, security administrators and crime prevention experts ( Scott & McPherson, 2011) .
Private detective or investigator
Private detectives are mostly employed to solve cases such as those of missing persons, get information that is confidential or deliberately kept hidden and solve crimes. Private investigators can be either employed by an agency in law enforcement, self-employed, private clientele or by a private investigation bureau.
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Duties and responsibilities
It is the role of a private detective to conduct background checks on people, collaborate with law enforcement bodies, giving testimonies in law courts where available, looking for clues in crime scenes to solve cases and surveillance. In the private sector private investigators are hired to; discreetly complete investigations, background investigations on people, to transport valuable assets from one place to another and protecting high profile personnel ( Lister & Hucklesby, 2018) . The main role of surveillance and background investigation is to reveal data concerning personal, legal and financial matters of the persons of interest. Having the capability to competently use advanced technology in the retrieving of data and conducting searches in various databases is an essential skill for private detectives ( Lister & Hucklesby, 2018) . They also have a mandate to interview and observe any individual related to the case they are solving. Impeccable communication skills, assertiveness and thriving in the face of confrontation are some essential skills for an effective private eye. Closely analyzing all the details and accurately interpreting it is an essential skill that every private eye should have ( Scott & McPherson, 2011) .
How to become a private investigator
While in some territories might not require one to possess a formal education in order to qualify as a private investigator, having a degree in the field of criminal justice is an added bonus. Majority of the firms in the private sector require their private yes to posses at least a bachelors degree in order for them to qualify for employment. Some individuals who previously worked as law enforcers might take their experience in that job and focus it on private investigation as a profession ( Scott & McPherson, 2011) . In majority of states in the U.S, one has to acquire a license and other qualifications in order to start operating as a private investigator. Absence of a criminal record and having attained the minimum legal age (18 or 21 depending on the jurisdiction) are necessary requirements for any aspiring private investigator. Some firms provide their private eyes with training to equip them with essential skills before putting them in the field. The training provides the entry level private investigators with an opportunity to learn from more experienced PIs ( Scott & McPherson, 2011) .
Sound judgement, common sense and quick decision-making skills are core essentials of good PIs. When searching for employment individuals with experience in law enforcement are most likely to be first considered. Other careers that have an added advantage while searching for PI jobs are actors, military, librarians, photographers and paralegals. PIs who concentrate on certain fields only can easily get a certification to show their expertise; for instance, a criminal defense PI can get a certification from the National association of Legal Investigators.
Private-sector investigator
The work of the private-sector investigator is to ensure that no losses are incurred by the company. They are positioned in the department of loss prevention under the warehouse security in many retail or wholesale companies, as an external fraud expert or as private investigator from a private agency. Loss Prevention (LP) branch is present in all business that deal with inventory of products in storerooms, the LP branch is charged with the role of eradicating larceny and inventory disappearance. The private sector investigators collect all the necessary information that is required to conduct an investigation on lost goods or track them. The main role of having an internal fraud expert is to basically monitor the employees of the company, while the outside fraud analyst handles external fraudsters.
Skills and qualifications
In most cases only a high school diploma is needed in order for one to qualify. In most cases some tertiary education or a bachelors degree in criminal justice or law enforcement field is needed. Many analysts in external and internal fraud usually possess at least a university degree. Specializing in private-sector investigation can contribute to getting a CFE certification ( Tripp & Cobkit, 2013) . The CFE credential ranks the private-sector investigator high in the field of fraud investigating. Private- sector investigators who are CFE credited earn about 31% more than their colleagues without the certification, this illustrates that employers value the credential. The ACFE education and training is essential in advancement of one’s career as well as earnings. Many LP departments are on the lookout for organized crime, white collar crime, corruption or bribery, cybercrime, financial crime, fraud associated with credit cards, counterfeiting, money laundering, documents that are fraudulent and loss prevention ( Tripp & Cobkit, 2013) .
Crime prevention experts
Crime prevention is an essential element of the criminal justice system as it assists in reducing crimes and ensuring public safety. The crime can be from an individual’s criminal activities or from an organized group. Crime prevention experts are charged with the role of providing consultation on security issues, monitoring security systems, facilitating crime prevention agendas and installation of security systems ( Scott & McPherson, 2011) . They strive to eradicate or minimize the attributes that lead to crime. In many cases the crime prevention experts need to posses at least one associate degree related to criminal justice. In the job market however, the employers give priority to individual’s with law enforcement background. These experts are well compensated compared to other individuals in criminal justice careers in the private sector. It is estimated that they receive about $80,000 annually, which is about 29% more than the wages of other jobs in the field ( Lister & Hucklesby, 2018).
Skills such as collection of evidence, conducting interviews, conducting surveillance, report writing and computer proficiency are essential for individuals pursuing this career. The ability to function normally in situations that are stressful, being alert to the environment, having sound judgement, possessing high integrity, honesty, sense of responsibility and being a good critic of personality ( Scott & McPherson, 2011).
References
Lister, S., & Hucklesby, A. (2018). The Private Sector and Criminal Justice: An Introduction. In The Private Sector and Criminal Justice (pp. 1-21). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Scott, T. M., & McPherson, M. (2011). The development of the private sector of the criminal justice system. Law & Society Review , 6(2), 267-288.
Tripp, T., & Cobkit, S. (2013). Unexpected pathways: Criminal justice career options in the private sector. Journal of Criminal Justice Education , 24(4), 478-494.
