Forensic Laboratory Technician As we grow up, we’re always asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Most of us usually have an answer, but our answer will change as we get older. When I was younger I wanted to be a rockstar, then I wanted to be a hairstylist. Later on, I wanted to be a Lawyer, then a Mortician. Now, I’m for sure on what I want to be. I want to become a forensic laboratory technician. Which is basically a fancy name for someone who helps solve crimes. Forensic science has been around for a while, and since it’s been around, it has grown. It’s grown with technology, so that laboratory technician’s can become better at their jobs. Forensic laboratory technician’s are the ones who can find DNA on a cigarette butt, or even …show more content…
a foot print. It’s a good thing that forensic technician’s are around, or it’d be hard to prove what actually happened at a crime scene. Before you can become a forensic laboratory technician, you have to go through college, or training. The majority of laboratory technicians have gotten their associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Which is around two to four years of college. Depending on what field you decide to study under, can affect the cost of college. Some colleges can cost around $11,000 to $54,000. There’s several fields you can chose when it comes to forensics. There’s a few colleges here in Oklahoma, that teach forensics science. Mid-America Christian University and Rose State College, are two colleges that are in Oklahoma that teach forensics. There are some online colleges that you can take, like ITT Technical Institution, Sullivan University, or Post University. There are even some colleges in neighboring states, like Arizona. There’s two colleges that I know of that teach forensic science. The two colleges are Argosy University and Grand Canyon University. Both are located in Phoenix, Arizona. Before you go to college, you need to make sure you have the correct skill set for the job. Since you’re one of the people solving a crime, you need good problem-solving skills, and critical-thinking skills. You’ll also need great verbal and writing skills, along with deductive thinking skills. You’ll need great verbal skills because you’ll need to explain what happened to the person, and how. You’ll probably need to explain it in great detail, and not vague. Another to add onto that, is you can’t be an overly sensitive. You have to be a strong willed, and/or strong minded individual. If you can’t be that, then this job isn’t for you, sadly. It’s a good thing that I’m not extremely sensitive. You have to be strong, to endure the conditions for this workplace. “On television shows like CSI they have criminalist interviewing and arresting people. In real life criminals do not do that.” (Interview, Michael Howard.) Following along with what Mr. Howard said, in real life, forensic science is not all fun in games. It will not be pretty, or simple. It will be gruesome and more than likely, psychological scarring to the average mind. On the field, you’re dealing with how someone died, someone who probably had a family or friends. Which isn’t easy to deal with if you’re a sensitive person. Since you’re dealing with evidence, there’s obviously going to be some risk when you’re working. You might be dealing with blood, which can be extremely dangerous if you’re not wearing the proper protection or, if you have an open wound. If the victim’s blood gets into your system, your body could probably contract whatever the victim had, or if their blood type is different from yours, your body will reject it. To prevent any of this from happening, there’s specific guidelines and procedures you have to follow. “The forensic field is changing. Laboratories are being accredited and there are different standards. There are written procedures detailing how to do the analysis.” (Interview, Michael Howard.) Another reason as to why there are procedures, is that lawyers will try to argue that the technician didn’t know what they were doing at the crime scene. This is among many reasons as to why the lab technicians do not gather the evidence. Lawyer’s would try to say that the evidence was tampered with if it was that way. Moving on with the subject at hand, since we were on the subject of safety of the work place, we can talk about the starting salary. The starting salary depends on what field you go into, or what college you happened to go to. It’s not something that has a set wage, not like a minimum wage job. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for a forensic science technician, as of May 2012, was $52,840, with the top 10 percent earning more than $85,210.” (http://www.crimesceneinvestigatoredu.org/) There is techincally no “maximum” wage either. It all just depends on the field you go into, if you’re promoted, or the college you go to. Speaking of college, again, it is the main(if not only) expense you have to worry about. Along with expenses, there’s usually benefits. From what I’ve read, there aren’t many(probably none) benefits from working in the field of forensic science. Perhaps a benefit is something that comes from a day on the job? A typical day in the field of forensic science would most likely have to do with testing, and solving crimes. You could deal with weapons, blood, or anything else that has to do with the crime. You could even get a bug to test, to see where it’s from, and with that little bug, you could easily help narrow done what happened at the crime scene, or how the murdered actually happened/where it happened. Along with all the things that happen, you usually have the usual work hours. Which is from 8am-5pm, and you get holidays off. On very rare occasions do you have to work on the holiday. Only when, there’s a huge murder/investigation going on, and they need you. Like most jobs, there’s the best and the worst parts of the day. I would say, the best part of the day is when you get an easy case, and that it won’t take long to solve. Along with the good, there is always the bad. “I encounter bad stuff: mutilated bodies, child abuse, autopsies.” (Interview, Michael Howard.) As Mr. Howard told me this, I did realize that there will be incredibly bad days, and extremely terrible things I will have to see, and have to cope with. From my interview with Mr. Howard, I gathered that you will need to be strong willed, no matter what happens, or else you’ll probably have to go find another job field. This job can be very demanding on your physiological needs. In this field, you deal with very disturbing crimes, and bodies.
So, it will most likely cause some physiological damage in the long run. “Sometimes people say “I can’t do this anymore, I don’t want to see any more dead bodies.”” (Interview, Michael Howards.) Since there will be some kind of trauma going on with you, the future needs will be learning how to cope with it. “A lot of it is talking with the people you deal with every day. In forensics we often develop a warped sense of humor; we find humor in grotesque things.” (Interview, Michael Howard.) As Mr.. Howard told me this, I was very thankful for my messed up sense of humor, it will help me in the long run! Along with someone’s sense of humor changing, the field with change as well. Since it depends on technology a lot, forensic science will change along with it. Since it depends so much on it, the techniques will change with every new development in technology. This field, will be a massive help through the world, as long as technology keeps on developing. Since this field is needed to solve crimes, that’s why it’ll always be here. Because no matter how perfect the world may seem, there is always something bad happening somewhere else, and that’s why forensic scientist exist. So that they can help solve the crimes, and help the world work towards a better future. This career can be used anywhere, at any time. This career is so important. This is one of the many reasons as to why I’m interested in
it. I became interested in the career, because I love solving puzzles, and solving tough issues. At first, I wanted to be a mortician, then I dug around more then found out more about forensic science, and I instantly fell in love with the idea of it. I fell in love with the fact that I’d be helping people, and that I’d be doing something that I love, which is solving things, and helping people. The main thing that sparked my interest in this career, is problem solving. That is literally it, I really love solving puzzles. It is one of the things I love the most, no matter what. Since I’m so interested in this career, it’s very easy to learn more about it. I learned a lot about this career through this essay, the interview, and all the websites I came across. Not to mention all the reading I did for this essay. There’s still more I can do to learn about this field, which is probably interviewing someone else, or even talking to a professor who teaches classes about forensics. Even with all that, there’s still more to learn. Which would be stuff I need to learn on the job, like, on the job training, or stuff that most people won’t/can’t talk about. I’m so glad I had that personal interview, though. It gave me a lot of insight for the job. I learned a lot from the interview with Michael Howard, because he was pretty open about it. I learned that you’ll need a strong mind to be in this field, and you’ll also need to be able to handle your time and stress well. Mr. Howard has 29 years worth of experience in the forensic field. Which is amazing, because he didn’t mean to go into the field, actually.
I was sitting in the old rickety chair that looked as if it had been there for five years. The smell of gunpowder hung in the morning air as I leaned over the rifle rest. My finger wrapped around the trigger as my eye focused through the scope of my grandfather’s Springfield ’03. I took a deep breath and let half out. My finger tightened on the trigger as I awaited the recoil and crack of the gunpowder igniting. Finally, when my finger’s pull was enough to move the trigger, the gun went off. Moments like this are why I love shooting guns.
Brief history of Forensic, it surfaced in the state of San Francisco in the 1850’s systematic photography was being used to obtain criminal identification. Later on in the 1920’s “Los Angeles Police Department established the first police department crime laboratory in the United States (Forensic science timeline (n.d). Forensic continued to progress over the years to became one of the most innovating fields in the criminal justice system. Forensic help in the prosecution of many cases as well as exclusion of the wrongfully accused (Forensic science timeline (n.d). Forensic tech work primarily for local governments and state in police departments, coroner offices, and crime laboratories. This field is a combination of lab and field work the best of both worlds (Career guide for forensic science technician (n.d). This is what makes Forensic Science Technician the field of interest; the customary duties of a forensic science technician consist of gathering evidence, investigation of evidence collected, and reporting their discoveries in writing and may also be called into a court of law (criminal or civil laws) to present their finding before a judge (Career guide for forensic science technician (n.d).. There are several different areas of expertise in the field of a forensic technicians are often responsible or specialize in particular types of evidence such as biochemistry, ballistics, fingerprinting, and handwriting analysis. It has been said that forensic science technicians are mostly call upon to assist in two places on crime scenes and in crime labs (Dillon .H, 1999). Crime scenes contains that valuable evident that must be careful collected and preserved to help with the reconstruction of crimes by theorizing the events ...
When faced with the varying career options of today, Forensic Science was a field of interest. This is a field that offers many similar kinds of jobs ranging from Criminalist to Fingerprint Examiners to DNA Analyst. One of the jobs that stood out the most was a Forensic Science Technician. This is because while the job is related to Forensic Science, it is more related to analyzing data from crime scenes than it is about analyzing crime scenes themselves.
On February 27th, 2014 I had the pleasure to interview Detective Vincent Velazquez who was referred to me by Professor Paul Guerrucci. Vincent currently works at the Atlanta Police Department located in 226 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30303. On the day of the interview, I was a little anxious since this was actually the first time I interview a crime investigator, however Vincent was very professional and he allowed me to record the entire conversation. I was able to ask questions about his personal life, full details of his profession, current case assignments, criminal investigation procedures and existing problems in the investigation process.
Forensic Science has contributed to our world a great deal. People often misunderstand Forensic Science and believe it is much more capable than it really is. As a matter of fact what you see on T.V. is around 80% false or over exaggerated in some way. To Start of, Criminal Investigation is the largest and most known form of Forensic Science. Some of the more known areas include; Fingerprinting, Ballistics, DNA Identification, Fiber Samples, Computer Animation, Documentation analysis, etc. To get this out of the way in the beginning, what you saw on last night’s law and order is far from the truth. Things they do in a matter of hours take months at a time, and most of the time aren’t even plausible concepts.
How many times have you imagined yourself examining blood or analyzing fingerprints? Some people do this everyday! They are called Forensic Science Investigators!!! Also known as criminalists. They work with Crime Scene Investigators(CSI’s) to analyze evidence to solve a crime. They work in the Law and Public Safety cluster.
Most technicians decide to specialize in either crime scene investigation or laboratory analysis (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). I plan on finishing my degree in Criminal Justice and then go back to school later to obtain a degree in forensic science. Two BRAVO outcomes that I will be useful to use in being a Forensic Science Technician is basics and reasoning. “Basics is to require concepts such as scientific, mathematical, scientific, and creative methods through reading, listening, writing, and speaking all of which are key components in being successful in this job career” (Austin Peay University, 2014b). This career you have to be a good writer because over half of this job is just writing reports. You also have to be able to speak because some forensic technicians have to testify in court and it would be beneficial if that person knew how to put their point across. “Reasoning is the research and all what is involved in doing so hypothesize, experiment, and evaluate
Forensic scientists work in labs where they examine, identify, and interpret evidence collected in crime scenes. Crime scene investigators collect evidence and pass it to a forensic scientist who uses the items in numerous ways to help catch criminals. Forensic scientists must also record the evidence and any tests run on it in detail to prove the truth in court. A forensic scientist also has to be able to present his or her physical evidence verbally in court, so a strong communication background is important. The first step taken to become a forensic scientist is to first pass the education required to become one.
It is common knowledge that people die everyday. While some deaths are natural, many occur suddenly, unexpectedly and/or violently. It is up to specialized trained physicians to determine the cause and manner of death through close examination of the deceased (Explore). Forensic Pathologists are professionals that are not commonly talk about. Most often, people talk about nurses and surgeons, but very rarely do people talk about the physicians that work with the dead. Since Forensic Pathologists are not as well-known as other careers in the medical field, research on the nature of the job, qualification required, and challenges involved in pursuing the career is needed to discover whether or not it is a good fit.
The actions and observations of investigators and criminalists will most likely be presented during a court case so their reputations depend on how ethically and accurately they did their job. Forensic science specialists must recreate the crime scene to the court with their testimony and speak the truth for the voiceless victim.
Well anthropology is the scientific study of where something comes from, which is known as, the origin. It’s also the study of the behavior, physical, social, and cultural development of humans. Forensic Anthropologists are made to to identify human remains, along with pathologists. A pathologist is one who interprets and diagnoses the changes caused to a person or a dead body caused by diseases specifically in tissues and body fluids. Forensic anthropologists work with the law and law enforcement agencies. They, help in processing skeletal evidence. The study bones, which is called osteology, and they research/identify the remains of people, (known as subjects) by gathering information which is used to determine a person’s age at death, se and physical condition. Did you know
According to the American academy of forensic science, the forensic sciences form a vital part if the entire justice and regulatory system. Forensic science is an enticing career having to do with science and criminal justice, a large variety of schooling is needed to start this job Despite the fact that it can be a dangerous environment it can be an exciting profession to pursue. There are many different fields in forensic science that you can study or major in but they all have the same objectives.
For as long as I can remember, I have always felt for people even if I don’t know them personally. That’s why my dream job is to become a forensic pathologist so that I can help families that are affected by drug overdoses or other unfortunate deaths. Most often, people aren’t familiar with that career when I describe it to them, which is exactly why I want to go into it.
Some of these are the possibility of having to move in order to keep a job; a lower-than-expected pay rate because most forensic labs tend to be financially limited and the probability of a long wait from beginning as an intern and doing less "glamorous" jobs then becoming a technologist and, finally, an analyst. In a field as varied and interesting as medical laboratory technology, forensic science may be the one that appears more challenging or interesting than others because of what it deals with. When considering forensic science as a lifelong career, examining the details of such a choice is
On the whole, a forensic science technician is the one who plays an important role in solving a case of murder, robbery and many such crimes through their specialized skills involving problem solving, creative and high observation