Criminologist study and analyze delinquency as a phenomenon, the crime as a fact, the delinquent and the victim as a relevant actors and the means of formal and informal social control as a method of influencing crime and its actors.
In Spain Criminology is a science that is in expansion. The general population is uninformed about the work of the criminologist and that is why people tend to think that criminology is what it seen in movies or TV series, confusing Criminology with Criminalistic, which is the study and forensic analysis of the crime scene and everything around it.
Today, thanks to the work of many professionals in the field of Criminology, this has become one of the most demanded degrees. Still, many if the students begin their degree without a clear understanding of what it is or what professional opportunities are available to them once they completed their degree.
Despite this lack of knowledge, in 2019 the Criminology presented an unemployment rate of 4.8%, 3.2 points below the average unemployment rate. This place it among the degrees that present lees unemployment.
Most students that begin their degree in Criminology think that they will only be able to apply for a professional career in the State Security Forces or in penitentiary institutions. This is not entirely wrong, but below is shown a list of the different professional opportunities that criminologist can apply, either in the private or public sector:
As for the private sector, the following professional opportunities are available:
- Security Direction of any company, designing the politics and protocols of prevention, risk and threat investigation, as well as its management in case any of them occurs. The knowledge of the criminologist in terms of criminal liability of legal entities, it is necessary to involve them in the prevention of corporate economic crime, corporate compliance design and direction of internal security departments. Something to have in mind dedicate yourself as a Security Director is that you need to have a TIP (Professional Identity Card) that qualifies you to be a Security Director. This TIP is achieved by holding the title of Security Director.
- Security Technician: professional specialized in the analysis and study of risks and threats within a Security Department, carrying out the Security Plan defined of the organization.
- Private Detective: professional specialized in obtaining, investigating and monitoring behavior, most of it criminal, both for individuals and organizations. In orden to work as a private detective, it is also necessary to have a TIP, which is obtained by holding the proper title of Private Detective.
- Intelligence Analyst: professional specialized in risk and threats analyses that affect the Security, obtaining information from Human Sources as well as Open Sources (OSINT).
- Consultor: whether it is security, cybercrime, legal, etc., the criminologist’s knowledge of legal and security matters is an added value in order to detect any risk.
- Investigator – scientist – teacher: with the links to university, association, professional college or study centers, carrying out criminological investigations that increase the actual knowledge in the field.
As for the public sector, the following professional opportunities are available:
- State Security Forces.
- Social workers, educators, or mediators.
- Fiscal ministry: on the investigation-instruction phase.
- Justice ministry: in the investigation phase as well as in the criminal executions or prison surveillance pashes. In the administration of justice and attention to victims and minors can be highlighted the professional advice, victimology reports, mediation and conciliation, execution and control of measures, etc. The criminologist would also be capable of preparing expert reports to be used as documentary evidence in judicial proceedings.
- Penitentiary Centers: involved in the investigations of criminal behavior, as well as in the Treatment Boards that allow the constant evaluation of the degree of resocialization, reinsertion, or possibility of recidivism of each convicted person. In terms of reporting and acting as specialists in boards and technical teams, in surveillance and alternative penal measures.
- Political Party: defending the policies and measures proposed by each political formation in any subject related to the Criminal Policy, Interior, Justice and Social Services.
- Investigator – scientist – teacher: with the links to university, association, professional college or study centers, carrying out criminological investigations that increase the actual knowledge in the field.
Bibliography:
- Cámara, S. (2016, Octubre). De profesión criminólogo: salidas laborales de la criminología en España. Retrieved Diciembre 2020, from UNIR: https://www.unir.net/derecho/revista/de-profesion-criminologo-salidas-laborales-de-la-criminologia-en-espana/
- Cambronero, A. (2019, Febrero). El Criminólogo en la Sociedad actual. Retrieved Diciembre 2020, from http://www.emprendeseguridad.com/magazine/el-criminologo-en-la-sociedad-actual/
- CPCM (2018, Julio). La inserción laboral de los criminólogos no es como la pintan en los periódicos. Retrieved Diciembre 2020, from https://colegiocriminologosmadrid.es/la-insercion-laboral-de-los-criminologos-no-es-como-la-pintan-en-los-periodicos/
- EPdata (2020, Octubre). Carreras con más y menos salidas de empleo, en datos y gráficos. Retrieved Diciembre 2020, from https://www.epdata.es/datos/carreras-mas-menos-salidas-empleo-datos-graficos/409
- LISA Institute. (2019, Noviembre). Criminología: trabajo y salidas profesionales. Retrieved Diciembre 2020, from https://www.lisainstitute.com/blogs/blog/criminologia-trabajo-salidas-profesionales
- Marchiori, H. (2004). Criminología. La Víctima del delito.
- Orellana, O. (2017). Manual de criminología.
