We’ve all seen Law and Order SVU, and every kid has, at one point, dreamed of being a police officer. Maybe you didn’t end up joining the force, and it turns out “Being Sherlock Holmes” isn’t an actual job… But there are tons of jobs associated with the criminal justice system, and odds are good that you’re qualified for at least one!
These jobs might seem like fiction, but there are people out there right now who do these things every single day.
Crime Scene Cleaning
This isn’t the most glamorous job, but you are sure to see some crazy sights! Crime scene cleaners are called in to clean up a whole variety of places, from houses to hotel rooms.
One risk of this job is contamination. Some crime scenes contain dangerous chemicals or airborne contaminants. Crime scene cleaners are called in to clean up everything from bloody murder scenes to decomposing bodies to meth labs.
This is definitely a job for someone with a strong stomach. Anyone who wants to get involved in this job will need to take some classes and earn certifications before they can dive in. However, you will always have something to talk about at parties.
Bounty Hunter
You might be surprised to realize this is an actual job! The job has been glamorized for years – Han Solo is the epitome of a cool bounty hunter – and TV shows like Dog the Bounty Hunter just contribute to the idea that this is a purely fictional pursuit.
After all, the idea that you could just grab a gun, go out on the streets, and get paid to hunt down criminals seems like a romantic fantasy for wannabe cool guys.
The truth is that anyone can be a bounty hunter. As long as you live in a state where bounty hunting is legal, all you have to do is possess a clean criminal record, know how to fire a gun, and (in some states) get a license. There are no special requirements, because you’ll basically be freelancing.
White Hat Hacker
“Hacker” has been a cool job since The Matrix came out, but usually those movie hackers are working on the wrong side of things – they take control of government nukes or steal money from banks. They’re cool, but they’re bad guys, and they always get taken down in the end.
But did you know that you can be a hacker and actually get paid by the government?
Companies are increasingly interested in finding holes in the security in their websites. This means they have to find the problems before someone with bad intentions does. But the people who design the sites are often the people who have the most difficulty seeing the security flaws.
White hat hacking has gained popularity in recent years – Google said that hackers who find and report flaws should be paid, and there is even a convention for hackers who want to work for the common good.