Career Journal/Paper Entry #1
CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR
Education and/or Training Required
- In order to become a Crime Scene Investigator, you should start by earning a degree in Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Justice or a Physical Science. A common degree is a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
- A Master’s degree will be of greater value and you will also get a higher pay.
- Forensic Science is the best major to choose if you wish to become a Crime Scene Investigator. You can get an Associate’s degree (2-year) or Bachelor’s degree (4-year). Many police departments will require a Bachelor’s degree. However, you could also study Criminal Justice or Criminology, but the main focus is in Forensics.
- Some crime scene investigator jobs require individuals to have police officer status, or higher education with a strong background in science. - Most CSI's are sworn officers, but there are a large number of civilians with the same job. The difference between the two is economics and arrest powers. Police Officers are generally paid at a higher level than the civilian counter-parts; they usually have better benefits and more career opportunities. Civilian CSI's have little career opportunities, less benefits and work in the same dangerous environment as their sworn counterpart.
- Crime Scene Investigator’s will spend nearly all of their time processing crime scenes, so they should be in a good physical condition. The job normally involves extensive kneeling, climbing, and crouching, as well as lifting and carrying heavy objects.
- Photography is a must-have skill for becoming a Crime Scene Investigator. Since you will photograph a lot while on the job, you should know about all types of cameras, how cameras work, and advanced techniques of photography.
- You should know how to write and speak effectively. Crime Scene Investigators are required to document the crime scene and their investigative activities in written reports. “Documenting” the scene will also include
Education and/or Training Required
- In order to become a Crime Scene Investigator, you should start by earning a degree in Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Justice or a Physical Science. A common degree is a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
- A Master’s degree will be of greater value and you will also get a higher pay.
- Forensic Science is the best major to choose if you wish to become a Crime Scene Investigator. You can get an Associate’s degree (2-year) or Bachelor’s degree (4-year). Many police departments will require a Bachelor’s degree. However, you could also study Criminal Justice or Criminology, but the main focus is in Forensics.
- Some crime scene investigator jobs require individuals to have police officer status, or higher education with a strong background in science. - Most CSI's are sworn officers, but there are a large number of civilians with the same job. The difference between the two is economics and arrest powers. Police Officers are generally paid at a higher level than the civilian counter-parts; they usually have better benefits and more career opportunities. Civilian CSI's have little career opportunities, less benefits and work in the same dangerous environment as their sworn counterpart.
- Crime Scene Investigator’s will spend nearly all of their time processing crime scenes, so they should be in a good physical condition. The job normally involves extensive kneeling, climbing, and crouching, as well as lifting and carrying heavy objects.
- Photography is a must-have skill for becoming a Crime Scene Investigator. Since you will photograph a lot while on the job, you should know about all types of cameras, how cameras work, and advanced techniques of photography.
- You should know how to write and speak effectively. Crime Scene Investigators are required to document the crime scene and their investigative activities in written reports. “Documenting” the scene will also include