Crime Scene Analyst

This is another question looking towards job commitment. Some people go through jobs like socks because they don’t have a life plan, and your answer can show insight into this. It can also be used for finding out if you are the type that sets goals at all in life, because those that make long-term goals are usually more reliable. Also, your goals can provide insight on your personality too.

You should respond with an answer that shows progression in your career is on track with your route in the company. It’s important to do your research on company prospects, this way you understand what to expect and if it’s in your long-term goal. Interviewers don’t want to set you on a path that won’t provide the results you want, resulting in you resigning.

Forensic science technician responsibilities are to keep records and prepare reports detailing findings, investigative methods, and laboratory techniques; testify in court about investigative or analytical methods or findings; use photographic or video equipment to document evidence or crime scenes; operate and maintain laboratory equipment and apparatus; prepare solutions, reagents, or sample formulations needed for laboratory work; confer with ballistics, fingerprinting, handwriting, documents, electronics, medical, chemical, or metallurgical experts concerning evidence and its interpretation; visit morgues, examine scenes of crimes, or contact other sources to obtain evidence or information to be used in investigations;

train new technicians or other personnel on forensic science techniques; collect evidence from crime scenes, storing it in conditions that preserve its integrity; reconstruct crime scenes to determine relationships among pieces of evidence; examine and analyze blood stain patterns at crime scenes; collect impressions of dust from surfaces to obtain and identify fingerprints; interpret laboratory findings or test results to identify and classify substances, materials, or other evidence collected at crime scenes; examine physical evidence, such as hair, fiber, wood, or soil residues to obtain information about its source and composition; analyze gunshot residue and bullet paths to determine how shootings occurred; use chemicals or other substances to examine latent fingerprint evidence and compare developed prints to those of known persons in databases; review forensic analysts' reports for technical merit; determine types of bullets and specific weapons used in shootings; identify and quantify drugs or poisons found in biological fluids or tissues, in foods, or at crime scenes; examine firearms to determine mechanical condition and legal status, performing restoration work on damaged firearms to obtain information such as serial numbers; compare objects, such as tools, with impression marks to determine whether a specific object is responsible for a specific mark.

College is a tremendous investment, both in time and money. If you're going to make such an investment, you definitely want to know how much skin in the game you need to have and what kind of return you can expect. The amount of education you'll need to have will depend greatly on the kind of job you want.

There are plenty of criminal justice and criminology careers that don't require any degree at all, whereas others will necessitate a master's or even a doctorate. You’ll have to do a little research here about the specific job you're looking for, and be sure to take earning potential into account so you don't saddle yourself with needless student loan debt and minimal resources to pay it back.

Yes and No. We are fortunate in that we are provided with state of the art equipment. We have most of what is shown on television, and we perform a lot of the same functions as seen. However, our agency does not have lab capabilities. We document the scene, process for latent fingerprints and collect evidence. All laboratory analysis is performed at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement lab. Additionally, all our technicians are civilians, they do not conduct interviews nor do they have arrest powers. And finally, it is not as glamorous or as easy as it is on television. The actors and actresses never get dirty and always complete the crime scene documentation, the entire investigation, the autopsy, and lab analysis all in one hour. It is not uncommon for us to spend ten or twelve hours at a homicide scene just documenting the scene, processing for latent fingerprints, and collecting evidence.

What I enjoy most about forensic science is the problem solving. You look at the evidence to see what it’s telling you. How can you use the experts, scientific tests, and your own knowledge to answer questions and solve problems?

The forensic field is changing. Laboratories are being accredited and there are different standards. There are written procedures detailing how to do the analysis. You can’t just say, “I know how to use these instruments and I can figure it out.” The changes are driven by arguments that attorneys make. There’s a standardization for everything. They have to know how the procedure is done, what the normal range is. They want to read a result and know it’s the same, no matter which lab did the test.

The minimum qualifications to work at the Sheriff’s Office are a high school diploma or a G.E.D. The training is on the job, and lasts a minimum of 16 weeks. The first four weeks the trainee learns how to operate each piece of equipment, how and what to photograph, how to process for fingerprints, and how to collect and package evidence. The next twelve weeks are broken down into two phases – the first part is where the trainee is exposed to calls and the trainer works the call, the trainee takes “pretend” pictures, packages “pretend” evidence and latent fingerprints, and writes a “pretend” report. In the second part, the trainee will be responsible for the investigation – photographs, evidence, latent fingerprints and the report. Through this phase the trainee is given less and less guidance and during the last two weeks, the trainee works the call with little or no assistance from the trainer.