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Crime scene investigation has gained a lot of attention thanks to the popular TV series CSI. Many people wonder: Is the job really as intriguing as what you see on TV? Read on and decide for yourself.
Crime scene investigators (CSI) go by many names - evidence technician, crime scene technician, forensic investigator, scenes of crime officer, crime scene analyst, or criminalistics officer - just to name a few! While there may be slight variations in job duties, the basic task of the crime scene investigation team is documenting, collecting, preserving, storing, and identifying physical evidence from the field and analyzing that evidence in a forensics lab. CSIs are at times also called upon to attend autopsies or testify in court. (ICSIA)
CSIs need to be properly trained in the processes used to collect evidence, from footwear impressions to hair, fibers, DNA potential, and biological fluid. They use a number of tools, gadgets, and other gear in the course of obtaining samples, such as: shoe print lifting equipment, marking paint/snow wax, tweezers/forceps, cutting instruments (knives, box cutters, scalpels), biohazard bags, and personal protective equipment. (NCJRS)
Exciting new technology has the potential to significantly transform the collection and presentation of evidence. High-definition surveying (HDS) creates a "virtual crime scene" by reflecting a laser light off of objects in the crime scene and back to a digital sensor. This greatly reduces the chance for evidence contamination and creates new powers for the CSI, who can manipulate the 3-D images to examine different perspectives of the scene. (Government Technology)
Students in crime scene investigation programs receive hands-on instruction from experts in the field to gain knowledge and skills that will qualify them for a fascinating, challenging, and financially rewarding career - up to $50,000 annually. Find out more by visiting the schools on the left today!
Sources:
International Crime Scene Investigators Association (ICSIA)
National criminal justice reference service (NCJRS)
Government Technology
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