Criminologists often work for law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels, but they might also work for universities or research facilities. The main purpose of Criminologist careers is to take a research-based approach to reduce crime. Criminologists study all types of crime, including property, victimless, organized and violent crime. They dig into statistics, interview people who’ve committed crimes and work with related specialists to better understand why people break the law. Some of the things they analyze include criminal demographics, human behavior, physical environmental features and the effects of corrections. They look for patterns and warning signs in criminals and use that information to predict when crimes might happen again. Their research and data may help reduce future crime by influencing laws, policies and the correctional system.
