A criminal justice degree benefits private investigators by educating them in the particulars of the criminal justice system. Private investigators need to be able to understand laws and develop problem-solving and communication skills. Private investigators must follow the same laws as law enforcement officers; not following the laws could terminate an existing case. Proper communication is crucial for a private investigator. Private investigators face many different scenarios when investigating a crime or a specific person, so they often must communicate with witnesses, suspects, lawyers and judges.
A criminology degree helps private investigators understand how to conduct criminal investigations, learn crime history, understand government regulations, understand forensics, and learn law enforcement codes. Criminology degrees help teach specific law enforcement techniques. Utilizing forensics helps investigators locate criminals, and evidence that relates to the investigation. Criminology also helps private investigators learn how to understand data and make a conclusion about a particular crime.
Many private investigators hold degrees in accounting. Accounting is a popular degree for investigators because it can be used to solve crimes such as tax evasion and computer fraud. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the an accounting degree is more helpful than a criminal justice degree because an accounting degree provides good background knowledge for determining various fraud-related crimes.
A computer forensics degree is another recommended degree for private investigators. Investigators learn about software programs that help investigate potential fraud cases. Fraud can occur on computers, cell phones, and other types of devices. This degree also helps investigators recover deleted files that are needed for investigations.