He then served as deputy Attorney General in New Jersey's criminal investigation division for three years, starting in 1954. That same year, he again ran for the Representative seat for New Jersey's 8th District, but again lost to incumbent Gordon Canfield. Joelson received 45.1% of the vote, in comparison to Canfield's 54.8%. Afterwards, Joelson then went on to the Passaic County's Prosecutor's Office and then became the director of the state's criminal investigation division and served that post from 1958 to 1960.