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hailey
Student
Kerrville, Texas
6
Questions
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What is the craziest thing you've seen working on a crime scene?
#crime-scene-investigator
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1 answer
Monte W. Spoor
Retired Senior Crime Scene Analyst
5
Answers
Onalaska, Texas
Updated
Monte W.’s Answer
As a Crime Scene Investigator you’re exposed to a lot of negative things. Some things commonly seen and investigated would be deceased individuals (murder, suicides, overdoses and accidental deaths), crimes against women, children and the elderly.
Being exposed to investigations of this nature take a toll and you have to develop coping mechanisms to keep going day to day in this career path. Some people who choose this career don’t make it more than a few years, others find a niche and are able to complete their work until retirement.
With that being said in my 30 year career I have seen some very horrific stuff but was able to temper that with the fact I was helping to solve those crimes and develop a suspect or suspects giving closure to family members.
Unfortunately I never talk about the horrific nature of any crime I investigated but I can assure you that if and when you choose this career you need to prepare yourself mentally to deal with the sights and smells of things you would have never dreamed of.
This is a very difficult career path both physically and mentally and if you choose to go this direction you need to approach your local police department and/or coroner’s office and schedule a ride-along with one of their investigators.
Post secondary education is a key component to this career path, but first see if you are able to deal with the death associated with this career choice.
Seek a ride-along opportunity with your local police department crime scene unit.
Seek a ride-along with your local coroner’s office
Explore post secondary education in forensic science
Meet with a crime scene investigator and discuss the career and determine if it is right for you
Being exposed to investigations of this nature take a toll and you have to develop coping mechanisms to keep going day to day in this career path. Some people who choose this career don’t make it more than a few years, others find a niche and are able to complete their work until retirement.
With that being said in my 30 year career I have seen some very horrific stuff but was able to temper that with the fact I was helping to solve those crimes and develop a suspect or suspects giving closure to family members.
Unfortunately I never talk about the horrific nature of any crime I investigated but I can assure you that if and when you choose this career you need to prepare yourself mentally to deal with the sights and smells of things you would have never dreamed of.
This is a very difficult career path both physically and mentally and if you choose to go this direction you need to approach your local police department and/or coroner’s office and schedule a ride-along with one of their investigators.
Post secondary education is a key component to this career path, but first see if you are able to deal with the death associated with this career choice.
Monte W. recommends the following next steps: