Are you a fan of the hit television series Sherlock? Private investigators are all over television. People from all across the globe tune into PBS’s Sherlock, and many watch marathons of MTV’s guilty-pleasure Cheaters, even if they are hesitant to admit it. Private detectives are not, however, just fictional or sensationalized characters.
In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that real-life private detective services currently employ 30,000 Americans — and that number is growing. Where are you most likely to find America’s true private detectives?
Law Firms and Government Offices
Twenty-five percent of licensed private investigators work for the government, according to the BLS. Over the next ten years, demand for detective services is likely to increase — especially for workers with computer forensics experience. The U.S. Department of Labor elaborates, “Technological advances have led to an increase in cyber crimes, such as identity theft and spamming. Internet scams, as well as other types of financial and insurance fraud, create demand for investigative services, particularly by the legal services industry.”
Furthermore, legal firms and government offices utilize investigators to help collect and interpret digital or mobile evidence, such as texts and Google searches. “A North Carolina man was found guilty of murder in November in part because he Googled the words ‘neck,’ ‘snap,’ ‘break,’ and ‘hold’ before his wife was killed,” reveals CNet News.com.
Large Corporations
Many businesses hire private detectives to perform background checks and help streamline the interviewing and hiring process. Investigators may also be utilized to research modern human resources complaints and claims. For example, if an employee claims that he or she received inappropriate texts from a supervisor, a private detective may be able to legally attain texting records.
The demand for licensed private detectives is steadily increasing — thanks to the growing popularity of computer and mobile devices. Lawyers and government officials team up with investigators to get to the bottom of hacks and security infractions, or, at times, to make the most of digital evidence. Similarly, companies save considerable time by hiring detectives to perform necessary background checks. Visit here for more information.