Government Job Profile: Crime Scene Investigator

Crime scene investigators are specialized law enforcement personnel who collect and analyze evidence taken from crime scenes. They can look at tire tracks, footprints, blood splatters and many other elements of a crime scene to piece together theories about what occurred there, the sequence of those events and how long ago they transpired.

Law enforcement agencies often lump together all sorts of personnel under the title of crime scene investigator, but in general, a crime scene investigator is a sworn peace officer with expertise in collecting and analyzing evidence gathered from crime scenes. An evidence technician is someone who gathers and processes crime scene evidence but is not necessarily a peace officer and is not involved in other aspects of investigating crimes.

Forensic science dramas on television have increased the popularity of crime scene investigation as a career. Those shows may also have impacted the public’s expectations of what crime scene investigators can bring to criminal prosecution. Many law enforcement personnel and prosecutors believe that such television programs have made jurors less likely to convict criminals when the prosecution does not present significant amounts of high-quality forensic evidence. The so-called CSI effect is yet to be proved through academic research.

How to find a job of a CSI and what you need for that? Jobs are found in large police departments and in state police organizations. Smaller departments do not have the manpower to devote a position solely to crime scene investigation.

The Education You'll Need:

Since crime scene investigators are sworn police officers, those wishing to become crime scene investigators should research the requirements for becoming a police officer in local and surrounding jurisdictions as these requirements may vary from locality to locality and state to state. Education requirements range from some college with specific hours of coursework required to a bachelor’s degree. Coursework in law enforcement and forensic science can provide candidates an advantage over other applicants.

The Experience You Need:

Law enforcement experience is needed to become a crime scene investigator. Additionally, those wishing to become crime scene investigators should have training in the collection and processing of forensic evidence. Those already in crime scene investigator positions receive significant amounts of continuing education to keep up with advances in technology and professional practice.

What You'll Do:

Crime scene investigators assist detectives in solving crimes by collecting evidence and providing expert analysis of that evidence. They are often called as witnesses in criminal cases to explain their theories about what happened at a crime scene.

In a case the crime scene investigator is called to the crime scene once the scene has been discovered by law enforcement the investigator assists in blocking off the scene from outside contamination. This could include helping uniformed officers set up barricades and caution tape and protecting evidence from damaging weather such as rain, sleet, hail, wind, sun and snow.

The crime scene investigator identifies, collects and inventories evidence at the crime scene. The investigator takes photographs of the scene and of individual pieces of evidence. The investigator ensures that the methods used to collect and process the evidence will stand up to scrutiny by defense attorneys. Evidence improperly processed is at risk of being disallowed by a judge.

This work requires bending, stooping, reaching, lifting and other physical activity that can be strenuous for some people. Those with physical disabilities may not be able to perform this work. The job also includes working in all types of weather.

The investigator works with outside crime labs to analyze evidence that is outside the department’s capability to analyze. For example, a large police department might send bullet fragments to a state ballistics lab if the department does not have a ballistics expert on staff.

The job is not for those with a weak stomach. Crime scene investigators are called out to the most gruesome events. Their tasks may include taking photos of murder victims, collecting samples of bodily fluids and analyzing blood spatters on a wall.

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