Law enforcement career: Correctional officer
See it on TV: "Prison Break"
Beat: If you're drawn to protective services, consider working among the prison population as a correctional officer. The job calls for maintaining the security of a correctional facility in order to prevent disturbances, assaults, and escapes. Officers must perform routine searches for contraband, settle disputes between inmates, and enforce discipline.
Background check: Most institutions require correctional officers to have a high school education, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons requires at least a bachelor's degree.
Bounty: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), median annual earnings of correctional officers were $33,600 in May 2004; the highest 10 percent earned more than $54,820.
Law enforcement career: Police detective
See it on TV: "The Closer"
Beat: If you've got a knack for reading people, consider a police detective career path. In this line of work, you may specialize in investigating one area of violations, such as fraud, homicide, or theft.
Bonus: Police detectives are often able to retire with a pension after 25 or 30 years of service, which permits them to pursue a second career in their 40s or 50s.
Background check: Police detectives must have a high school education at the minimum, and some departments require a year or two of college coursework. Federal and state agencies typically require a degree in law enforcement or administration of justice.
Bounty: The BLS reports that in May 2004, median annual earnings of police and detective supervisors were $64,430, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $96,950.

Law enforcement career: Private investigator
See it on TV: "Veronica Mars"
Beat: If you're a "work outside the box" kind of person, private investigation may be a good fit for you. The job, which includes physical surveillance, computer database searches, and a number of other information-gathering techniques, calls for irregular hours and lots of ingenuity.
Background check: Some private investigators start work soon after completing an associate or bachelor's degree program in criminal justice or police science. And former police detectives often apply their prior work experience to a second career as private investigators.
Bounty: Employment of private investigators is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2014, according to the BLS. Median annual earnings of salaried private investigators were $32,110 in May 2004; the highest 10 percent earned more than $58,470.

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