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The differences between investigators assistants and detention officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an investigators assistant has an average salary of $44,686, which is higher than the $40,087 average annual salary of a detention officer.
The top three skills for an investigators assistant include background checks, physical evidence and law enforcement agencies. The most important skills for a detention officer are detention facility, direct supervision, and booking.
| Investigators Assistant | Detention Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $44,686 | $40,087 |
| Hourly rate | $21.48 | $19.27 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 16,836 | 116,529 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
As the name entails, the job of an investigator's assistant is to perform office duties and field jobs to support investigations into criminal justice and criminal cases. Typical duties will include processing legal documents and reports such as subpoenas and complaints, collecting fingerprints, police reports, and background checks, and interviewing victims and witnesses. Additionally, as an investigator's assistant, you are responsible for reviewing criminal background checks and conducting research on new social trends. You will also be responsible for preparing payroll and delegating and coordinating multiple projects under a tight deadline.
The role of detention officers is to supervise inmates in state detention facilities. They are responsible for ensuring the safe imprisonment of detainees, managing conflict between detainees, and reporting inappropriate behavior to the warden. Other responsibilities include providing inmates the opportunity to call a lawyer or a relative, performing periodic patrol of the jail area, and supervising inmates during meals and related activities. They are also responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of personal and cell equipment and distributing medicines to inmates as directed.
Investigators assistants and detention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Investigators Assistant | Detention Officer | |
| Average salary | $44,686 | $40,087 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $85,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | Bering Straits |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between an investigators assistant and a detention officer in terms of educational background:
| Investigators Assistant | Detention Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between investigators assistants' and detention officers' demographics:
| Investigators Assistant | Detention Officer | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.8% Female, 64.2% | Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 15.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |