Forensics is the use of scientific and technological processes to investigate facts and establish evidence to be used in courts of law. If you are considering a career in forensics, you have many options from which to choose, including the following:
* Medical Examiner-good pay; requires a medical degree and takes approximately 7 years to complete training.
* Crime Laboratory Analyst- investigates crime and evaluates criminal evidence. Good pay for outdoor work with relatively stable hours; usually requires a B.A. degree; limited number of jobs.
* Crime Scene Examiner-requires a degree in natural science; erratic working hours; works when and where a crime occurs. Requires bachelor’s degree in natural science
* Forensic Engineer- examines and analyzes structures and products relating to their failure or cause of damage; deals with traffic accidents, fire investigations, and a variety of wrongful injury cases. Requires an engineering degree.
* Forensic Document Examiner-. Examines and compares documents and handwriting samples; answers questions about a suspect documents using a variety of scientific methods
* Digital Forensic Specialist- applies scientific methods and techniques in order to recover data from electronic / digital media.
* Criminalist- Applies principles of various sciences to answer questions relating to examination and comparison of evidence in criminal investigations applies various sciences to answer questions relating to controlled substances, ballistics, firearms examination, and other evidence in criminal investigations.
* Forensic DNA Analyst- Examines crime scene evidence, and answers questions about paternity, etc., that might place a suspect at the scene of a crime.
* Forensic Entomologist- examines insects in, on, and in the vicinity of human remains and assists in determining the time or location of death.
* Forensic Pathologist- applies the principles of medicine and pathology to determine a cause of death or injury; good pay; requires a medical degree and takes approximately 7 years to complete training. Investigates incidences of sudden or unexpected death.
* Forensic Psychologist- Works in an academic setting and applies their specialty to an investigation or trial on a part-time basis; however, psychological profilers are often more involved with investigations on a full-time basis; requires a degree in psychology. ( jobs for psychological profilers are very limited in number).
Regardless of which option you decide on, besides the criminal justice courses such as Crime Scene Analysis, Crime Scene Investigation, and Criminology, a career in forensics usually requires advanced science and math courses, including chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, statistics and trigonometry science.
