CSI EDUCATION & CAREER RESOURCE

Learn how to take part in the exciting field
of crime scene investigation

Career Resources

Whether you are just starting out in the field of crime scene investigation and forensic science or you are looking to advance your career, we have a comprehensive set of resources that will set you up for success.

Educational Guidance

Many CSI professionals carry at least a bachelor’s degree, and most have gone further to a master’s. If you want to have a successful career in forensics, you will need guidance on which educational path to take.

Continuing Education

Most employers look for crime scene investigators who are highly qualified in the field of criminal justice and who possess the latest knowledge. Here, you can find information on keeping your education current.

The Role of a Crime Scene Investigator

CSIs work as key members of an investigative team. Crime scene investigators work with detectives to provide key evidence that can be used in a court case. Failure to handle the evidence properly could result in a guilty criminal going free, so this is a very serious job. They work primarily indoors, processing evidence and performing analysis, but they also work outside, on the scene, collecting and bagging evidence in such a way that analysis can be performed successfully once they get to the lab.

A good crime scene investigator can work well with detectives and people on-scene, but can also focus on the evidence analysis in the lab, and build reports that can be used by attorneys and judges in a court of law.

Meet a few members of the CSI team, who all work together and play a part in bringing justice to victims:

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Crime Scene Supervisor

Typically working with police departments under the direction of the Investigative Support team, a Crime Scene Supervisor manages the CSI personnel and performs skilled technical police work in identifying, collecting and classifying physical evidence.

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Medical Examiner

Medical Examiners, or MEs, work under the training and supervision of senior doctors. A medical examiner is a physician with a medical degree with specialized training in forensic pathology and a board certification in pathology.

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Autopsy Technician

Autopsy technicians, also known as morgue assistants, work to assist in the performance of autopsies on human cadavers. Working as assistants in the morgue, they are responsible for verifying identities for the pathologist and official paperwork.

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Ballistics Expert

Ballistics experts know everything about firearms and ballistics from ammunition, design, gunshot evidence and much more. Often working alongside forensics teams, they also provide key evidence and testimony in trial cases.

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DNA Analyst

A DNA Analyst works in a laboratory setting doing professional and technical work managing evidence from criminal cases, convicted offender DNA samples and other related work. A science degree and lab experience will set you up for this role.

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Fingerprint Analyst

Pattern matching skills are a must for anyone interested in becoming a fingerprint analyst. Working with a combination of new technologies and old-fashioned investigative techniques makes this an interesting role in the CSI team.

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The Changing World of Crime Scene Investigation

Improved patient processes and increased hands-on care are the norm

Today’s CSI professionals have additional science training and work on the law enforcement team. With changes to technology and evidence collection practices, crime scene technicians need to be experts in the latest software and analysis techniques.

Crime scene investigators work in laboratories, at the crime scene, in a hospital and private offices. This job requires a lot of precision and varies greatly from day-to-day. Getting called out in the middle of the night is not unusual.

Within the crime scene investigation team, the forensic technician is one of the most important. Building a case involves having evidence, and collecting, processing, analyzing and also storing this evidence properly is key to any successful outcome.

Within the field, CSIs can specialize in various areas, including firearms, fibers, tissue or bodily fluids, hair, glass, blood splatter, blood, DNA, or crash reconstruction.

Crime scene investigation is a growing field, expected to have increasing job growth and hiring potential for many years to come.

What is a Crime Scene Investigator?

Crime Scene Investigators play a crucial role in solving crimes and bringing justice to light. The individuals who work a crime scene range from forensic scientists who collect and analyze samples to the investigative photographers who document the scene and evidence to the administrative personnel who manage it all.