CAREER ROADMAP

 There Is More Than One Path Forward

A career in crime analysis does not follow a single, predetermined path. Analysts enter the profession with different backgrounds, develop different areas of expertise, and pursue opportunities that can lead to advanced analytical roles, technical specialization, supervision, leadership, research, training, consulting, and positions across both the public and private sectors.

The NACA Crime Analysis Career Roadmap was created to help analysts see those possibilities. It provides a visual look at how a career can grow and evolve over time, highlighting potential pathways for advancement while recognizing that professional development is rarely linear. An analyst may deepen their technical expertise, move into leadership, specialize in a particular area, transition between sectors, or build a career that combines several of these paths.

The roadmap is not intended to prescribe a single definition of career success or establish requirements for advancement. Instead, it is a tool for thinking about what comes next. Analysts can use it to explore potential career directions, identify areas for continued development, and have more informed conversations with supervisors and mentors about their professional goals. Agencies can also use the roadmap to think more intentionally about career progression, retention, and opportunities for the analytical professionals they employ.

Your career does not have to stop at “Crime Analyst.” The skills developed in this profession can open doors to opportunities across public safety, technology, leadership, research, and beyond.