Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between lead investigators and detention officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead investigator has an average salary of $60,060, which is higher than the $40,087 average annual salary of a detention officer.
The top three skills for a lead investigator include law enforcement agencies, background investigations and data analysis. The most important skills for a detention officer are detention facility, direct supervision, and booking.
| Lead Investigator | Detention Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,060 | $40,087 |
| Hourly rate | $28.88 | $19.27 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 21,299 | 116,529 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
Lead investigators are responsible for gathering information from both eyewitnesses and suspects. They have to untangle the crime scene for possible clues like DNA, fingerprints, physical evidence, and more. They document the scene by taking photos or by using Leica scanners to capture every detail of the crime scene. Also, they take evidence, processed them, preserve records, and then present the evidence to courts. Additionally, they, at times, procure supplies and items essential for an investigation like identifications apparatus. Lead investigators must know the state, federal, and local laws regarding police operations, investigative procedures as well as evidence safekeeping and demolition.
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.
Lead investigators and detention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Investigator | Detention Officer | |
| Average salary | $60,060 | $40,087 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $113,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | BNY Mellon | Bering Straits |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a lead investigator and a detention officer in terms of educational background:
| Lead Investigator | Detention Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between lead investigators' and detention officers' demographics:
| Lead Investigator | Detention Officer | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.6% Female, 31.4% | Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 8% | 6% |