Investigating CSI – Background material Table of Contents I ...
Investigating CSI – Background material Table of Contents I ...
Investigating CSI – Background material Table of Contents I ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
A forensic scientists needs a honours degree in biology and chemistry and a<br />
masters degree in forensic science to enter the pr<strong>of</strong>ession. An forensic assistant<br />
will need an aapropriate HND or more.<br />
The high media pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> the work <strong>of</strong> a forensic scientist means that retention is<br />
more <strong>of</strong> a problem than recruitment. Marie Campbell believes that many come<br />
into the job believing it to be the kind <strong>of</strong> glamorous career pr<strong>of</strong>iled in television<br />
crime dramas and can be quickly disillusioned by the reality. While there was<br />
immense personal satisfaction it can be a hard job that should be considered as<br />
a vocation that someone would really want to enter as a career. Marie highlighted<br />
the obvious unpleasantness <strong>of</strong> attending a particularly nasty scene <strong>of</strong> crime or<br />
accident. There was also the added stress <strong>of</strong> being cross-examined in court even<br />
though that was something a scientist quickly becomes accustomed to.<br />
Was television giving the game away on how forensics can solve crime? Most<br />
crimes are committed out <strong>of</strong> rage, passion or are alcohol fuelled - whatever the<br />
motives few crimes are committed in such a rational, calm and 'intelligent'<br />
manner that would enable criminal to think and cover their tracks. Many suspects<br />
also tripped themselves up by insisting on versions <strong>of</strong> stories that conflicted with<br />
the facts uncovered by forensic investigation.<br />
The forensic laboratory with Strathclyde police is externally accredited and also<br />
undergoes internal audit once every two to three months. Chain <strong>of</strong> custody<br />
procedures with regard to transferring evidence from the laboratory to court are<br />
also rigorously<br />
The lecture was a fascinating insight into the work <strong>of</strong> a forensic scientist with<br />
illuminating examples <strong>of</strong> local and national cases where forensic investigation<br />
had helped to solve crime.<br />
Source: http://www.ibms.org/index.cfm?method=science.general_science&subpage=general_forensic_scientists<br />
5