A Career As A Forensic Chemists In The Criminal Justice World

Forensic chemists have an important role in the criminal justice world. If you have a dedication for the world of justice by using science to solve crime puzzles, then a career in forensic science could be worth pursuing. Forensic science applies science principles, science methods and techniques during the investigation of a crime. Forensic Scientists have a very important role in the investigation of a crime scene. They spend most of the time in the laboratory analyzing evidence and very little time on the field, despite what we see on television shows. The physical evidence collected on the crime scene is done by police officers or specially trained crime scene investigators. The evidence is packaged and brought into crime laboratories

There are also a few private labs that carry out forensic analyses. On an average day, forensic chemists apply knowledge from different areas of sciences, math and genetics to analyze evidence. The main technical skills used in this field is a strong background in equipment and quantitative analysis. The individual has to also be detail oriented, since the slightest detail can make a huge difference in the interpretation of a sample. Critical thinking skills and problem solving skills are required as well as communication skills. Communicating with police officers, detectives and anyone working on a case will be expected. Forensic science technicians receive 6 to 12 months of on-the-job training to learn DNA analysis and receive and an additional 3 years of training for firearms analysis. Forensic chemists have variety of sections they can choose to work out of as mentioned above. Each section specializes in a specific area, sometimes more than one area combined and some requiring more than one major of education. According to the bureau of labor and statistics, employment rise is at 1.8%, Mean hourly wage $28.89, with an average of $56,000 a year

These professionals spend time on the field and require more training than just an educational degree. Law enforcement agencies have trainings ranging from 6 months to 2 years for new hires that is required. “Crime scene investigations and forensic lab work requires highly educated individuals with a background in forensic science, the natural sciences, and the criminal justice system.” A criminal justice degree with a concentration in forensics or crime scene investigations provides a course of study that covers three critical areas for this job position: forensic science, technology, and law enforcement. Criminal justice and forensics programs may focus on a specific area of forensic science, such as ballistics, blood spatter or DNA evidence, which can help you obtain a higher level crime scene investigator position. “Coursework within a typical forensic science bachelor’s degree includes: advanced math, chemistry, biology, psychology, evidence collection, sociology, and courtroom presentation (1)”. Crime scene investigators have a salary media on $94,800 when working for a federal government agency, $55,950 for local government and $51, 100 when working for the state