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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR JOBS

What do Crime Scene Investigators do on a daily basis? What type of skills, abilities and are necessary? What type of education and experience is needed to qualify for the Crime Scene Investigator job? Basically the answers depend on the exact job you apply for and the agency that offers the job. Read the job summaries of the job openings listed on the Employment page. This will give you an idea of the variety of responsibilities the employee will have as well as the minimum requirements to apply for the job.

There is a great deal of information that can assist you with the understanding the job of a Crime Scene Investigator. One article, Duty Description for the Crime Scene Investigator, by Mike Byrd of the Miami-Dade Police Department Crime Scene Investigations Unit, gives a good description of what a Crime Scene Investigator does on the job.

One of the very best things you can do is to contact the agencies in the geographical area you wish to work and find out what their Crime Scene Investigators do on the job, what their minimum requirements for applying are, and how often the have job openings.

Are Crime Scene Technician jobs available? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, a "forensic science technician" is employed to "collect, identify, classify, and analyze physical evidence related to a criminal investigation" (this includes crime scene technicians who work in the field and technicians who work in the crime laboratory). The bureau listed "forensic science technicians" as one of the fastest growing occupations in 2004 and numbers nationwide increased from 9,800 in 2004 to 12,030 in 2006. In May 2007 the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the mean hourly wage was $24.19 and the mean annual wage was $50,310 (annual wages at the 10 percentile were $29,170 and the 90 percentile were $76,440) for forensic science technicians. (Read the Bureau of Labor Statistics report)

Although payscales vary by region, the following provides a guideline for expectation pay scale:

• Police Evidence Technician: $34,598 -- 67,197
• Crime Scene Technician: $51,204 -- $63,444
• Forensic Photographer: $45,780 -- $53,290
• Criminalist: $65,645 -- $102,190
• Latent Print Technician: $51,25 -- $66,851

Some investigator job positions require a 4 year degree in science while others only require a GED or High School graduation. Generally, if you want to work in a crime laboratory as a Criminalist you will need at least a 4 year degree in science (such as Biology or Chemistry). If you want to be a Crime Scene Technician you usually need less formal education. Some agencies require you be a sworn police officer before becoming a Crime Scene Investigator--most do not.

If the position you want requires formal training then check your local colleges and universities. You can check the college and university page on this www site for some leads. Many community colleges have Criminal Justice classes that include crime scene investigations.

Can I get training to become a Crime Scene Technician on-line?

You can also make yourself more marketable by earning a certificate or degree in Crime Scene Investigations on-line from a college with a respected program. Examples of respected on-line programs include (click on the links to receive free, no obligation, information):