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what is the suggested education for special victims detective?

Education recommended like major.
Specific requirements needed to be a detective aside from education.
#detective #law-enforcement #special-victims #law #majors #college-majors

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Joanne’s Answer

An advanced education is a plus but not necessary. A degree in criminal justice may be helpful when you initially apply to be a police officer. More importantly it’s the knowledge and experience you gain while working as a patrol officer.

Depending on the department you may have to take an exam to become a detective. Treat others as you would like to be treated and you will go far in life👮‍♀️
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Raymond’s Answer

A degree in Criminal Justice is usually the standard that police agencies requiring a degree look for, however I've found that the best education for something like a "Special Victims Detective" is the training and education you can get through your agency. Once you're a member of a police department look into the training schedules in your own agency and other police academies pertaining to "sex crimes". Express an interest to your department in that type of assignment. There are also many informative writings, articles, journals and books as well as seminars to educate you in this area. The best education though is 'OJT', on the job training and picking the brains of experienced detectives.

Raymond recommends the following next steps:

Research the agencies your interested in working in, see what their requirements are for becoming a Sex Crimes Detective. Read articles, literature, attend a seminar or two regarding sex crimes, educate yourself a little on the topic, if you are a college student, as a project go interview a sex crime detective in your area.
Apply for a position/ take a test for a police agency. Study hard.
Go for it.
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Joe’s Answer

I recommend specialized training available through your agency's training resources. In northern Illinois, the predominant facility is NEMRT (North East Multi Regional Training). Typically you have to petition you home agency to be sponsored to attend these training classes (remember, everyday you are in training, someone else has to be at work for you back at your parent agency). Some of the specialized classes NEMRT currently offers towards special victims interviewing are broken down into specific categories like interviewing sexual assault victims, interviewing juvenile victims/witnesses, interviewing mentally challenged victims/witnesses, and basic interviewing skills for detectives. This is assuming you are already a detective and have the basic, prerequisite education and training that will give you a solid platform to move into more specialized interviewing techniques. Currently, NEMRT offers the following classes that would apply to your specific inquiry;

-16 Hours Sexual Assault Investigator Training
-8 Hour Trauma Informed Response to Sex Assault
-Child Abuse Awareness for Patrol Officers
-Crisis Communication
-Domestic Violence Crisis Intervention
-Interviewing Children
-John Reid Interview and Interrogations (Beginner and Advanced Courses)
-Juvenile Interrogation and Delinquency

Some classes are introductory as far as content and relevancy and some are for more advanced investigators. Some are a week-month long, while most are 1-2 days in duration. The above mentioned classes are only what is currently being offered in the 2020 spring catalogue. There are many more that become available at different times of the year. There are other training resources also available, but NEMRT is a good place to get your feet wet (so to speak). You should look to develop a network of people you find yourself training with. They will be able to steer you towards other classes that are beneficial, and possibly help you avoid classes that might not be exactly what you are looking to learn.

It's worth noting, for in depth and/or major crimes investigations (especially those involving a juvenile or mentally challenged victim/witness), the police department has to work closely with the local county states attorney's office and they typically utilize a victims advocacy center, referred to as the Ad Center, which is through the states attorney's office (not the police department). Those investigators are extremely advanced and skilled in obtaining statements and evidence without causing additional or undue trauma to a victim/witness. In these cases, it is better to defer to a true professional when you are able to realize that moving forward on your own ability is not the absolute best option to not only capture/convict an offender, but also protect the person you are interviewing. It is important to remember you should have two ultimate goals in these situations; 1.) capture and convict the offender and prevent him/her from ever being able to harm another person again in the future 2.) ease the pain of their victims in anyway and any means at your disposal. Good luck and good hunting!
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Nicole’s Answer

An Associates Degree

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Joseph’s Answer

Your educational requirements will depend on what agency you apply to in order to qualify in general to work for said agency. Once you complete the police academy you must make rank as a detective in general and at that point it’s not so much about education as it is about the training you receive. Find out about SVU related classes once you become a detective such as “Finding Words” which teaches forensic child interviewing and things of that nature. I’ve worked SVU for several years and it’s all about taking the initiative to see what training is available via you’re agency and having that in your file.
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Brian’s Answer

Would recommend attending college and taking a criminal justice class in order to understand how law enforcement works. You don't have to major in criminal justice!
In order to become a detective with a law enforcement agency you must first be hired by that agency and work in the field so to speak to develop your skills.The skills are speaking/ interviewing persons either who are victims of that particular crime or with witnesses or the actual suspect of the related crime. Another skill is knowing how to investigate the crime you responded to. This comes with working in the field and doing some of the same crimes over again.
Some police agencies have it in their policy that you have 3 or more years of patrol experience (working on the streets or in the field) before testing to become a detective. Some agencies don't require a detective test but still require some street experience to gain the some investigative knowledge.
To become a special victims detective you have to do the above first, work in the field. Once you become a detective you can get the training for what you want to specialize in like homicide, special assault, robbery, gang, narcotics, computer crimes etc..
Note: Working in law enforcement you may investigate the same crime over and over again, but the people are different each time. Each case is different in this aspect, making each unique.

I hope this helped.
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Jeanette’s Answer

Using the search "international non-profit utilizing music and musicians" on the internet calls up a host of articles about non-profits that use music and musicians.  Read as much as you can to find the causes for which you have a passion.  To get into law school you need to keep your grades as high as you can.  I went to the University of Georgia Law School and it had an excellent international law department.  I recommend that you research law schools and apply to those who have a good international law departments.

Jeanette recommends the following next steps:

Research on the internet and elsewhere to find out about international non-profits that use music and musicians.
Do some soul searching to determine those causes that you are most interested in serving.
Devote yourself to getting high grades in your undergraduate studies.
Apply to law schools that have a good international law department.
Do volunteer work in organizations that serve the causes that you are interested in and develop contacts who may assist you in your search for a career in a non-profit.
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Matt’s Answer

If you are looking to become a Police Officer, work with as many inner city community organizations you can. It will help you better understand how humans interact with each other.
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Brian’s Answer

Maryjane,

Great question! During my time as a detective I have met many investigators with different educational backgrounds, from music to government degrees. In my experience there is no one degree that would lend itself exclusively to criminal justice or special victims. While having a criminal justice degree helps a lot of this will be covered in whatever academy you attend. In my opinion some of the best detectives I have ever met were just naturally nosey people. If I had to point to one thing it would be having great people skills and that’s not a degree . Being able to talk to victims and suspects is key to solving cases. You can’t do this if you do the cliche TV tough cop routine, it just doesn’t work like that. My advice is that if you want to join law enforcement is to get a degree that interests you. What makes law enforcement great is having so many people with different educational backgrounds that help solve complex problems.

Thank you comment icon I have a Q 4 u MR'MRS HIGHLAND
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Paul’s Answer

Hello! City and State police-work has evolved so much there is a great need for investigators to be trained in many fields. The path to becoming a detective can simply start by joining a police force and picking up training which leads to work as a detective. It is very rare for a person to become a detective without first performing duties as a uniformed officer. Simply put, there is a lot of competition among officers for these positions. If you rather attend college before joining a police force, and your ultimate goal is special victims, majoring in psychology, sociology, and/or of course criminal justice will aid you in helping attain your goals. Working as a special-victims detective is a noble endeavor, but does not happen quickly.

Knowing what I know now as an investigator I wish I had developed a "career outline" for myself which would have led me to quickly achieving career goals. If I had done this while, lets say as a senior in high school, I would completed the steps below in terms of following a career in law enforcement:

  1. Complete high school
  2. Determine if you want to join the military. Not a necessary step, but sometimes helpful.
  3. Attend college if possible. A 2-year degree does wonders.
  4. Determine what location you want to work in (in-state, out-of-state, large force, small, etc)
  5. Determine what government you want to work for (federal, state, county, city, other)
  6. Attend the academy

Remember, if you your ultimate goal is to be special victims detective be sure that whichever agency you work for has such an office.

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Claude L’s Answer

First and foremost you have to go through police academy to become POST Certified. Some people choose to pay their way through police academy and hope to find work upon successful completion. Others, such as myself, get hired on with a local agency who agree to pay for you to go through police academy.

Once you have completed academy, you will need to start preparing yourself to become a detective in general. Understand some agencies do not have detectives at all, or if they do they are very limited in what their area is. A local metro Atlanta Sheriff's office for instant only has one type of detective and that is White Collar Crimes, everything else is handled by the local police agencies Criminal Investigation Division.

Once you are placed in Uniform Patrol ( again some sheriff's departments don't have UPD) make a point to learn how to write excellent , detailed reports. Learn how to talk to people and ask good questions. Take classes such as Criminal Procedures, Interviews and Interrogations, Crime Scene Processing etc etc.

When a spot opens up in CID, put in for it. Once you are taken in they will provide you the specialized training you will need to thrive in SVU.



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irinel’s Answer

Because you ask a specific question as a specific victim s detective my advice is to develop specific skills in psychology and communication in particular with victims. A degree in victimology could be an advantage but I guess in practice is important to deal efficiently with victims. This means a good contact and good communication because often the victim is the first person giving info on the crime or case, beginning with the facts and ending with the perpetrator. Depending on the situation, as investigator you have to approach in a specific way the victim: it could be a victim of a burglar or a victim of a sexual predator or a serial killer , and so on. You must be prepared to deal and to communicate having in mind the trauma the victim suffered, to avoid secondary trauma and in the same time to get the information you need on the case.
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Jeanette’s Answer

I recommend that you look into colleges that offer degrees in criminal justice.  Also it would be worthwhile to contact your local law enforcement agency to see if you could actually "interview" a special victims detective to find out how that individual trained for the position.  I located this site on the internet https://study.com/articles/Become_a_Special_Victims_Unit_Detective_Career_Roadmap.html.  I don't have personal knowledge about the site but it may have good information.

Jeanette recommends the following next steps:

Try to set up informational interview with special victims detective.
Conduct internet research to find out more about how to pursue a career as a Special Victim Detective.
Research websites of local law enforcement agencies to find out if they have information about the required training.
Find out if your school has pertinent career information about this field.
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Jim’s Answer

Would recommend a Bachelors in either sociology or psychology with a concentration with early childhood development. Get hired by a local police department and express interest in units assigned to investigate those type of crimes, and finally get promoted to a detective.

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Tika’s Answer

English, Political Science, Law Enforcement, investigator, Social Worker, School Counselor, Detective and lastly Educator (K-12)

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Joshua’s Answer

Criminal justice and Sociology courses are a good start. Any course associated with the social sciences are important. Also, as communities grow and change, language skills are also important. Being bilingual is great job skill and would be beneficial when entering law enforcement. These types of courses are available at most community colleges so you don’t necessarily have to attend a typical four year college or university.

Speak to a guidance counselor at your school, a lot police departments have outreach & community officers who work with schools. There are a variety of national police organizations that work with young people who are interested in careers in law enforcement.
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