What does a criminologist do?

What is the main role of a criminologist?

Criminologists analyse crime, including its causes, patterns and consequences, and use that knowledge to understand why crime happens, how to prevent it and the best ways to respond to it.

The role sits at the intersection of research and analysis with the opportunity for outcomes to inform application within society. It’s a job that can look quite different depending on the setting you’re working in and the specialisation you choose to focus on.

Dr Wayne Petherick, a criminologist with nearly 30 years of experience who currently lectures at the University of Southern Queensland, describes criminology as “a very complex mix of working with large and diverse groups of people, all with varying agendas and timeframes.” Teaching, research, case consultation and policy work can all be part of the picture, sometimes within the same week.

Key responsibilities in a criminologist role

A criminologist’s job description varies by role, and the day-to-day responsibilities change by setting and area of specialisation. But some tasks will appear across the profession, no matter where you land in your career.

Researching and analysing crime

Criminologists collect and analyse data on crime patterns, offending behaviour and the effectiveness of justice interventions.

This might involve working with official crime statistics, running surveys or reviewing published research to build a picture of what's happening and why.

Communicating your findings

Whether it's writing a report, preparing a submission, publishing research or presenting to stakeholders, criminologists regularly translate complex findings into clear, usable information. The analytical and interpersonal sides of the work are “in equal measure”, explains Wayne. You can’t separate the research from the communication of it.

Consulting on cases

Some criminologists are called on to consult on specific cases, working with police, legal teams or corrections services to apply their expertise. This may involve reviewing evidence, writing reports, or, in some circumstances, providing expert input that informs legal proceedings.

Contributing to policy

Criminologists often work with government departments, advocacy organisations, or research bodies to help shape responses to crime based on research findings. This might mean analysing proposed legislation or contributing to public debate on justice issues.

Teaching and supervision

Criminologists work in universities, where teaching is a core part of the role alongside research and administration. In this role, Wayne says students often seek professional guidance as much as academic.

“As a lecturer, students will often build up a trust with you, and turn to you for advice,” he says. “In this way, teaching is pastoral as well as pedagogical.”

Take a closer look at the day-to-day role of a criminologist in our guide: day in the life of a criminologist.

How the role can vary

No two criminologist roles look exactly the same, and the work can shift drastically depending on specialisation, seniority, and the type of organisation you’re working in.

While a criminologist working in government might focus on policy analysis or crime data, someone working in the private sector or as an independent consultant may be brought in on specific cases, or to advise an organisation on crime prevention and risk.

The skills of a criminologist also translate to academia where you might spend much of your time writing, conducting research and teaching future criminologists, fitting in case consultation around academic work.

Level of seniority also changes what the role can look like. Those new to the field often have a narrower focus on research and analytical tasks, while senior criminologists might spend their time managing projects, leading teams, advising stakeholders or shaping strategic direction.

Whatever direction you take, the job of a criminologist is really about applying research and evidence to better understand crime and support more effective responses.

Want to know more about the different directions criminology could take you? Take a look at our guide to criminology jobs and career pathways.

Who do criminologists work for and with?

Criminologists rarely work in isolation, and they often find themselves working across different sectors simultaneously.

In applied roles, this might mean police, courts, corrections officers, government agencies including the Attorney-General's department, community organisations, or victim support services, such as VictimLink.

Criminologists consulting on cases may work directly with legal teams, investigators and expert witnesses.

In academic roles, this means students, research partners, funding bodies, ethics committees, and university administration.

Wayne says he feels interpersonal skills are the most important thing a criminologist brings to the job:

Whether this is students, colleagues, industry, or stakeholders, you are almost always working with other people.

Where do criminologists work?

Where criminologists work often depends on who they work for. They can be employed by universities and research institutions, government departments, law enforcement agencies, courts and tribunals, corrections services, community organisations, policy think tanks, and private organisations.

These settings mean that, as a criminologist, you could be conducting your work anywhere from a cubicle in a government office to a university campus. Working independently as a consultant means you could find yourself working from anywhere.

What skills do criminologists use?

Criminologists draw on a mix of skills, from analytical and research skills to interpersonal skills, throughout their careers.

Research and data analysis

The ability to gather, interpret and critically evaluate evidence is a core skill and essential to criminological work. This includes understanding how crime is measured, what different data sources can and can't tell us, and how to assess whether a program or policy is working.

Critical thinking

From the beginning, criminologists are trained to question assumptions and evaluate competing explanations while thinking critically about evidence. Those skills become particularly important when research is used to inform policy and legislation, or the justice responses that affect people's lives.

Communication

Criminologists regularly write reports and present their findings, which means they are often engaged with diverse audiences, from students and colleagues to policymakers and the media. The ability to make complex ideas clear is as important as the ideas themselves.

Interpersonal skills

Working effectively with colleagues, students, stakeholders and community members requires strong interpersonal ability.

Time management

Like all roles, strong time management is a skill that translates well into criminology. Criminologists typically manage multiple competing demands, including teaching commitments, research deadlines, casework and administrative responsibilities.

Strong time management isn't optional when it comes to thriving in this kind of work, with Wayne flagging it as the most valuable skill needed in the field, alongside interpersonal skills.

How do criminologists maintain their skills?

There are no mandatory continuing professional development requirements for criminologists in the way that there are for, say, registered psychologists or social workers.

But the nature of the field, which responds to changes in crime trends, law, technology and policy, means maintaining your skills is a professional expectation and a practical necessity.

Staying current in the field can take many forms, from remaining active in research and reading peer-reviewed literature in your area to engaging with colleagues through conferences and working in groups or being part of professional networks.

Those who consult on cases often find that applied work keeps their skills sharp in ways that purely academic roles don’t.

What does a criminologist not do?

If your idea of criminology comes from shows like Criminal Minds or CSI, it's easy to come away with the wrong impression of what the job actually involves. While crime dramas make for great entertainment, they don't offer an accurate criminologist job description.

Interviewing offenders in prison is not part of a criminologist’s regular work. Dr Petherick, with 28 years in the field, says he’s done this exactly once, for a specific purpose on a specific case. The idea that criminologists routinely sit across from criminals in interrogation rooms is, as he puts it, a product of television rather than reality.

Likewise, criminologists are not criminal profilers in the way they’re portrayed in films like Silence of the Lambs. Behavioural profiling is a narrow, often overstated, specialty. Most criminologists spend their time on teaching, research, analysis, reporting and consultation. This is work that looks far more like an organised office than a crime drama series.

Visiting crime scenes while they're being processed is also rare. A criminologist might visit a processed scene for specific casework, but being present during an active investigation is not a standard part of the job.

If this interests you, you might like to explore criminal justice jobs and career pathways instead, like law enforcement.

Is a career as a criminologist right for you?

Criminology suits people who are genuinely curious about why crime happens and how society responds to it, and those who can hold that intellectual interest alongside the discipline to manage complex, often varied workloads.

What Wayne says he finds most rewarding is the variety. “My brain doesn't deal well with routine, so the varied workday is a great bonus,” he says. At the same time, he says it’s work that requires you to be able to juggle multiple tasks while managing competing deadlines and working effectively, often with diverse groups of people.

Criminology could also be a good fit for you if you:

• Are energised by the idea of research and analysis
• Feel comfortable working with uncertainty
• Have exceptional time management skills
• Are interested in the human and social dimensions of crime.

“By contrast someone who wouldn’t do well is someone who doesn’t have strong interpersonal skills and cannot manage their time effectively,” Wayne says.

And if you're looking for a straightforward, predictable daily routine with clear boundaries, criminology may not be a natural fit. Read our comprehensive guide to discover more about how to become a criminologist.

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