09/13/2023
A few things to consider when becoming a Private Investigator, or a Process Server.
Can it be dangerous? Yes
(Read below)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 38,300 private detectives and investigators employed in 20221. The BLS does not provide data on the number of process servers, but according to a report by the National Association of Professional Process Servers (NAPPS), there were about 10,000 process servers in the U.S. in 2012. Therefore, the total number of private detectives and investigators and process servers in the U.S. can be estimated to be around 48,300.
The BLS also does not provide data on the number of assaults, shootings, or killings of private detectives and investigators or process servers. However, some sources suggest that these occupations are relatively dangerous and face a higher risk of violence than the average worker. For example, a study by the U.S. Department of Justice found that private investigators had a rate of 50.7 nonfatal violent victimizations per 1,000 workers in 2005, compared to 12.6 for all occupations. Another study by the same department found that process servers had a rate of 17.4 nonfatal violent victimizations per 1,000 workers in 2008, compared to 13.9 for all occupations.
Based on these rates, we can estimate that in 2022, there were about 1,939 nonfatal violent victimizations of private detectives and investigators (50.7 x 38.3) and about 174 nonfatal violent victimizations of process servers (17.4 x 10). The total number of nonfatal violent victimizations of both occupations can be estimated to be around 2,113.
The number of fatal violent victimizations of private detectives and investigators or process servers is harder to estimate, as there is no official data source that tracks them separately. However, some media reports indicate that these occupations have experienced some fatal incidents in recent years. For example, in 2020, a process server was shot and killed while serving papers in Arizona. In 2019, a private investigator was shot and killed while conducting surveillance in Texas. In 2018, a private investigator was shot and killed while investigating a homicide in Louisiana. These are just some examples of the potential dangers that private detectives and investigators and process servers may face in their work.
Therefore, based on the available information, we can conclude that process server and private investigator assault statistics are not easy to find or calculate, but they indicate that these occupations are more likely to encounter violence than the average worker. The exact number of assaults, shootings, or killings of these workers may vary depending on the year, the location, the type of case, and other factors.