Does Crime Really Pay?

The September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States of America changed our country forever. Since then, Americans are less optimistic about the future of America, less trusting of people in general and unsure of how to feel safe and secure in a place that's promised to be "the land of the free and the home of the brave."

Aside from the cultural, political and emotional changes brought on by September 11, that fateful day has also opened up numerous emerging careers in what is now one of the most important fields in the country: homeland security and criminal justice.

With terrorism and other crimes on the rise, careers in homeland security, as well as emergency planning would be an area to pursue, says Pete Platt, a federal special agent who has been law enforcement for 32 years.

For law enforcement to remain effective in combating crime, it's essential that police management identify crime trends and the causes, Platt says. Armed with this information, agencies can predict and anticipate the future needs of law enforcement, he says.

"Any criminal justice field that involves the use of new technology will be in high demand," he says. Basically, any area "that would streamline the justice system procedures, reduce human error and ensure fairness and impartiality."

New jobs will simply be current jobs with added responsibilities and functions, which will made easier through technology, Platt says. For example, developing ways to detect bomb-making materials, non-metallic weapons and minute traces of explosive powders and residues would all make use of new technology.

Technologies in the fields of optics, audio, voice, radio, microwave, infrared light, biology, chemistry, physics and other sciences will always have a place in finding better ways to combat crime, Platt says.

The job functions and routine procedures for several occupations within criminal justice are dictated by the U.S. and State Constitutions, as well as case law. So unless the law changes, basic jobs like forensic investigators, detectives, investigators, patrol officers, correctional personnel and prosecutors will always be needed and in demand, Platt says.

For example, he says, "Let's say that the U.S. Supreme Court suddenly ruled that polygraphs are accurate and fair measures of someone's truthfulness. If this happened, there would be a mass rush of students to learn to become a polygraph operator."

There will always be a need, however, for human interaction in regard to crime, Platt adds.

"There will always be the need for personal contact with victims of crime. There will always be the need for crime scene investigators. Technology will only make their jobs easier and safer," he says. "No matter how advanced technology might get, there will always be the need for human discretion and knowledge to make the final decisions on issues that impact society and solve crime."

While most jobs that exist now will only change and vary as technology advances, there are a few careers that could potentially be wiped out completely -- namely police support personnel.

As new technology develops, any position that currently is needed to document, store, report or protect evidence are likely to be incorporated into the job of the officer or investigator, Platt speculates. Such jobs include police dispatchers, file clerks, evidence custodians or administrative assistants.

For example, Platt says police no longer require secretaries because now, agents produce their own reports immediately.

"We use voice recognition software, so we don't need secretaries to type reports. The next step would be for automatic filing of these reports via wireless transmission to a police server," he says.

Another example is computer data input personnel, Platt says. "Bank personnel that are currently used to prepare grand jury subpoena requests are eliminated due to computer automation. There are computer programs currently available that automatically compile bank records into a usable spreadsheet."

Though the future looks mediocre in terms of emerging, everlasting and extinct careers, Platt says the basic components of the criminal justice system will largely remain intact for years to come.

"As long as the criminal justice system deals with human behavior, no amounts of technology will completely eliminate the need for human involvement in identifying, investigating, apprehending, prosecuting and incarcerating criminals," he says. "Although the technology has advanced, police work still requires that human touch in order for people -- both victims and defendants -- to be treated fairly and with dignity."