Crime Scene Tech Career Profile

Jared L. is a crime scene technician with a Level 2-Crime Scene Analyst certification through the International Association for Identification (IAI). Jared attended a four-year university and earned his criminal justice degree in 1996. After graduation he put in applications to a number of the police departments in his local area. He attended the police academy and began his career as a patrol officer upon graduation. Three years into his police officer career he realized he had a nack for crime scene analysis, as well as really enjoying the challenge of the work, and decided to pursue a crime scene technician certificate. He also took some photography, chemistry and biology courses at a local community college to develop some of the skills departments look for when hiring a crime scene tech. Upon completion of his certification, the community college courses and further hands on training under a CST mentor in his department, Jared took a position in another department as a crime scene technician. Jared completed all the requirements to become internationally certified through the IAI, first as a level 1 - certified crime scene investigator then as a level 2 - certified crime scene analyst. Jared pursues the required continuing education to keep his certifications current and is working toward a senior level certification.

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"Education and continuing education has been pivotal to get where I am today. A bachelor's degree is a required by my department and most others for someone looking to be in my position. ." Jared has many hours of actual experience in the field of crime scene analysis which he boasts is just as critical to the job as is the classroom education. "This is not a career for someone who does not like the classroom or working in a continuous learning environment."

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Crime Scene Tech Duties

We asked Jared to review what his duties are when called to the scene of an investigation as well as what the whole evidence collection, evaluation and utilization looks like. Here is what he said:

"When I respond to a crime scene my first step is to begin photographing and collecting evidence, such as latent prints, DNA and other such physical evidence. I then will take evidence back to the lab and depending on what I have, will perform laboaratory examinations which will be either physical, chemical, digital or optical based. I am also involved in interviewing and profiling of suspects and the collection of bodily fluids from those suspects as well as the family, friends and corpses involved. I also attend post-mortem autopsy of the victim to collect evidence. Many times I will develop digital renderings for the crime scene investigation. A large part of my job is to create detailed reports covering every intricate part of my investigation that in many cases will be used in the prosecution of a criminal. I will also give testimony during trial about my forensic investigation and the laboratory techniques used for evaluation of the collected evidence. In a nutshell, that is what I do."

Jared offered up another skill that is often overlooked but is critical to success as a crime scene technician and that is people skills. Whether it's dealing with the first officer on the scene or the special agent in charge to interviewing a suspect, Jared strongly encourages the use of observational techniques and people skills to set the mood and gather the information needed. People skills will also help maintain the team environment within a department as well as between agencies working on the same crime scene investigation

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