2 answers
Teague
Student
Meridian, Idaho
1
Question
Asked
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How To Become A Crime Scene Detective?
How Do You Become A Crime Scene Detective? I would love to become a crime scene detective. I would like to know how to achieve that? #crime-scene-investigator #crime
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2 answers
Monte W. Spoor
Retired Senior Crime Scene Analyst
5
Answers
Onalaska, Texas
Updated
Monte W.’s Answer
Hello Teague,
Becoming a Crime Scene Analyst (CSA) has many challenges and those challenges start with your education. One must have an interest or love for the sciences and that should begin in your secondary education.
The key to a CSA position will focus on your education, most local and state law enforcement agencies require at least an Associates degree with a minimum 16 credit hours of science to include chemistry, biology, physics, anthropology, forensic science (any true science) and some math focusing on trigonometry as this plays a big role in bloodstain pattern interpretation/reconstruction and firearms trajectory determination/reconstruction.
To be competitive in the testing process for CSA, you should strive for a Bachelors degree with an emphasis in science. I stress the science part because a majority of the job incorporates science and a lot of law enforcement forensic units are accredited which means they have explicit educational standards. Choosing a major in college can be daunting but keep in mind the science aspect.
Once you have finished your education, now it's time to look for that career you have prepared yourself for. A lot of law enforcement forensic units tend to look for experience when hiring and being fresh out of college that may be difficult. You should look for a law enforcement agency that will train from the ground up, that is hire individuals that meet their standards taking your college experience and molding you into a working CSA. I worked for a department that developed it's own CSA academy and trained new employees with no experience but required the educational standards listed above. The academy is a difficult and challenging time, coupled with an extended field training program and a one year probation. Not many can handle this intensive training, but those who do earn a career doing very important work supporting and protecting their community.
When you obtain the experience necessary, you have the option to seek out different employment opportunities in the CSA world. I always say you need to work somewhere where you will be happy as this is a career and not just a job. Choose wisely when putting down roots because you are in for the long haul of 25 plus years to earn a pension.
After a long 30 year career as a Senior Crime Scene Analyst, I would like to offer you some advice. First, as a CSA you will be working around the worst of the worst crimes and will experience a lot of death. This is not for everyone, so you should make sure you can deal with these issues. Here are a couple of ways in which you can do that; you should request a tour or ride-along with your local coroners office, you may also seek out a ride-along with your local law enforcement, specifically their crime scene unit and lastly while attending college you should search for an internship opportunity with a law enforcement agency in their crime scene unit. I have seen many candidates apply for positions that were never exposed to the issues I have listed above, and when they finally were, it was too overwhelming for them. Make sure you're ready for a career as a CSA because education is expensive and you don't want to narrow your opportunities.
This is a long and mentally taxing career, make sure you choose an agency that has good benefits and a good retirement plan.
The attainment of a career as a CSA is all up to you, the education you choose and your tenacity for that career path. The position of CSA is a well sought out position, but there are limited opportunities so you must be determined and ready to excel with your knowledge when it comes time to test for an opportunity.
Please visit this website: International Association for Identification https://theiai.org/
Explore this website as this site provides information into the different certifications that make up forensic science. There are some great resources here to help you decide if this may be a career path you choose to pursue.
I hope this information will help you on your journey.
Good luck!
Explore educational opportunities that will help you prepare for a Crime Scene Analyst position.
Seek a tour/ride-along with your local Coroner's office.
Seek a ride-along with a law enforcement crime scene unit.
Look for internship opportunities with a law enforcement crime scene unit while attending college.
Contact your local law enforcement and see if you can meet and discuss your career path with a Crime Scene Analyst. Inquire about both the good and the bad regarding this career.
Becoming a Crime Scene Analyst (CSA) has many challenges and those challenges start with your education. One must have an interest or love for the sciences and that should begin in your secondary education.
The key to a CSA position will focus on your education, most local and state law enforcement agencies require at least an Associates degree with a minimum 16 credit hours of science to include chemistry, biology, physics, anthropology, forensic science (any true science) and some math focusing on trigonometry as this plays a big role in bloodstain pattern interpretation/reconstruction and firearms trajectory determination/reconstruction.
To be competitive in the testing process for CSA, you should strive for a Bachelors degree with an emphasis in science. I stress the science part because a majority of the job incorporates science and a lot of law enforcement forensic units are accredited which means they have explicit educational standards. Choosing a major in college can be daunting but keep in mind the science aspect.
Once you have finished your education, now it's time to look for that career you have prepared yourself for. A lot of law enforcement forensic units tend to look for experience when hiring and being fresh out of college that may be difficult. You should look for a law enforcement agency that will train from the ground up, that is hire individuals that meet their standards taking your college experience and molding you into a working CSA. I worked for a department that developed it's own CSA academy and trained new employees with no experience but required the educational standards listed above. The academy is a difficult and challenging time, coupled with an extended field training program and a one year probation. Not many can handle this intensive training, but those who do earn a career doing very important work supporting and protecting their community.
When you obtain the experience necessary, you have the option to seek out different employment opportunities in the CSA world. I always say you need to work somewhere where you will be happy as this is a career and not just a job. Choose wisely when putting down roots because you are in for the long haul of 25 plus years to earn a pension.
After a long 30 year career as a Senior Crime Scene Analyst, I would like to offer you some advice. First, as a CSA you will be working around the worst of the worst crimes and will experience a lot of death. This is not for everyone, so you should make sure you can deal with these issues. Here are a couple of ways in which you can do that; you should request a tour or ride-along with your local coroners office, you may also seek out a ride-along with your local law enforcement, specifically their crime scene unit and lastly while attending college you should search for an internship opportunity with a law enforcement agency in their crime scene unit. I have seen many candidates apply for positions that were never exposed to the issues I have listed above, and when they finally were, it was too overwhelming for them. Make sure you're ready for a career as a CSA because education is expensive and you don't want to narrow your opportunities.
This is a long and mentally taxing career, make sure you choose an agency that has good benefits and a good retirement plan.
The attainment of a career as a CSA is all up to you, the education you choose and your tenacity for that career path. The position of CSA is a well sought out position, but there are limited opportunities so you must be determined and ready to excel with your knowledge when it comes time to test for an opportunity.
Please visit this website: International Association for Identification https://theiai.org/
Explore this website as this site provides information into the different certifications that make up forensic science. There are some great resources here to help you decide if this may be a career path you choose to pursue.
I hope this information will help you on your journey.
Good luck!
Monte W. recommends the following next steps:
Traci Thomas
Corporate Patent Paralegal
23
Answers
Fort Collins, Colorado
Updated
Traci’s Answer
Hi Teague! Becoming a Crime Scene Technician would be an exciting career. Depending on where you'd like to work, positions could require you to have a high school degree, a four year college degree in the field of science or even require you to become a police officer first for a period of time. There are many university programs specifically for Criminal Forensics. Here is a great article I found to get your started: https://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/becomeone.html. The article also mentions some great books to check out. Best of luck to you!