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The differences between loss prevention specialists and detention officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a loss prevention specialist has an average salary of $47,451, which is higher than the $40,087 average annual salary of a detention officer.
The top three skills for a loss prevention specialist include customer service, safety program and store management. The most important skills for a detention officer are detention facility, direct supervision, and booking.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Detention Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $40,087 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $19.27 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 116,529 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A loss prevention specialist is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the store premises from shoplifters and even from employees' suspicious activities. Loss prevention specialists manage the installation of surveillance devices, monitor the daily store operations, and track business and financial transactions from the database. They also coordinate with law enforcement personnel for investigation on theft cases and other related retail complications. A loss prevention specialist must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, especially on preparing incident reports and apprehending violators.
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.
Loss prevention specialists and detention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Detention Officer | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $40,087 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Bering Straits |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a detention officer in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Detention Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | - |
Here are the differences between loss prevention specialists' and detention officers' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Detention Officer | |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 1.2% White, 71.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% | 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 | 18% | 6% |