Forensic Investigation Process

Studying everyday and finally finishing your post-secondary education, majoring in Criminal Justice or another major in that field, you can finally land your career. As a Forensic Scientist, you’re most likely going to work for the Federal Law Enforcement, to examine & collect evidence from crime scenes such as hair, nails, fingerprints, and/or fibers. The goal in this field is to convict an alleged perpetrator of an underlying crime. As a result of this goal, it is essential for those involved in the investigation process to preserve the evidence collected.

If you are interested in this field, here is a list of what you need:

Step one: Learn about the job. First, you would want to research what exactly you want to do to fully understand this

career or any career that interests you, before going to college and going forward. Also, knowing what your strengths & weaknesses are, plays a big part. For example, if you have a phobia of Blood, this specific job may not be right for you. You can still stay in this field but in a different department, maybe dealing with court cases.
Step two: Education. Most entry-level forensic positions require a bachelor’s degree in forensics, natural science, biology, chemistry, or physics. Courses that should be taken during the initial four years of college may include: biology, criminal justice, toxicology, chemistry, physical science, natural science, physics, mathematics, digital Forensics. etc. You can go for your master’s & doctorate degree which most organization’s recommend, because when you do get a bachelor’s degree and find a job, the pay may be lower than a person who gets their master’s or graduates degree.
Step three: Getting the job. The first step in any career is the application process. Knowing exactly what you want to specialize in is the easy part, but finding the job position for it is the tricky part. When it comes to strengths and weaknesses, you have to know how you can stand out from the others. The career world is very competitive, especially if  many are applying for the same job. There are some requirements in order to be qualified for a forensic science position. For example, you have to be a U.S citizen, take a written exam, be able to pass a drug test, have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Once you have passed the qualification stage that your organization requires,  you are technically hired and required to go into immediate training. Training consists of a series of tasks that has to do with analyzing evidence, practice crime scenes.etc. After the training, the candidates would be successfully placed for employment, and ready to start work.
Once you are in your admired field. It’s time to get paid. When starting a new job, the pay can be low, especially depending on the highest degree and experience you have. They vary between states. For example, New York’s 10% of forensic scientist earn $43,300 a year, and works up to 90% which is $87,460 (CorrectionOfficer.org.) It gets higher as you keep working. As stated on CorrectionOfficer.org, When finally on the field or in the lab, you will have “full benefits that include competitive salaries, paid holidays, medical and dental insurance, and retirement.”