I recently graduated with a BA in CJ from DePaul University. I want to broaden my horizons and retrieve certifications that will help me along in this field. I am very interested in forensics and I was wondering how to go about it.

For forensics, I am interesting in becoming a CSI, getting basic Forensic Technician training and photographic training. Does anyone have any advice as to how to go about this? Does anyone recommend taking courses through online schools or local campuses?

A basic BA in Criminal Justice is not getting me anywhere on indeed besides being a police officer, or any other pretty eh jobs.

Thank you for the advice!

This is no slight towards TT or RS, I love their classes. But I'm trying to widen my search for other possible providers to get some processing classes under my belt, and it doesn't seem like there are very many out there. Tons of ACE-V courses, but not so many on the processing side of the fingerprint world. Thanks in advance.

Hi all! In my early 30s and making a career change. I’m having a hard time deciding between the two. I plan on getting my bachelors, just wondering if I should go the biology route or forensic csi route. I would love to have some insight from anyone who is in the field.

For CSI: how’s the schedule? pay? do you ever get used to the gruesomeness of the job? would a bachelors degree benefit me over just an AS?

Forensic Scientists: how was the schooling? the job itself? competitiveness? I’m worried about all of the science classes as it’s not my strongest suit.

My current job has me miserable as there is no work life balance (60 hours min/week) and the pay is low, even though I paid $100k to go to school for this. There is also no stability as it’s project to project and no benefits for pregnant women or women wanting to start a family. Trying to avoid all of this so any insight on whether any of this is present would be helpful.

xoxo, a very confused millennial

Hey everyone,

I'm currently a college student going into my senior year, and I have yet to find an internship in my area (between Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey) and would really appreciate some advice for finding internships locally.

I've tried multiple websites, such as CSI Network, NJIAI, NJAFS, etc.

I have also reached out to local departments and labs with no avail.

A little advice would be really helpful, thanks guys!

So, I'm currently an ER veterinarian and really want to get out of the field. I didn't have the best experience in vet school, and tbh I have a lot of anxiety surrounding it, particularly regarding making the wrong choice and leading an animal to die. I'm currently doing per diem work while getting a master's degree in creative writing for my own personal enrichment, but the writing degree doesn't seem overly promising as a way into a new career, between academia seeming to shift farther and farther away from tenure-track jobs and AI taking away a lot of freelance editors' livelihoods. The other field that always really appealed to me was forensics/law. I love solving puzzles and very strongly considered trying to become a detective when I was younger, but I didn't really want to get into policework otherwise and worried about going down that career path, not getting the right promotions, and getting stuck with a job I'd never really wanted. I only recently discovered the existence of medicolegal death investigators, and it sounds like a great fit. I also feel like I'd be a pretty good candidate, given my medical background and experience working with grieving people (not to equate pet death with human death at all, but usually there's at least one euthanasia per shift on the ER, and giving bad news is a major part of my job description). I'd definitely need more experience with the legal side of things, though. I'd also need to really get in shape; I found an opening that cited the need to lift 100lb, which I'm nowhere near currently.

Anyway, I'm still finishing my master's, so I probably won't make any decisions about what to do next for a while yet, but I'm really excited about this as a possible career path and I wanted to learn more. Some questions I have:

- How overworked would I be? I don't mind having erratic hours (overnight shifts at the hospital are my favorite), but I worry about work/life balance. Would I realistically be looking at something resembling 40h/week, or would it be more like 80+?

- How often are you on call every week? I currently live in NE Ohio but take day trips to visit family in Pittsburgh sometimes and otherwise want the ability to go to a movie and turn my phone off for a few hours every once in a while. Is that a reasonable expectation, or do you truly need to be available 24/7?

- Are you salary or hourly? Does that work well for you, or do you feel like you get screwed, either on being overworked without enough pay because you're salary or having slow weeks and not making enough because you're hourly? If hourly, is there any compensation for being on call?

- Is it realistic to even expect to find a job without moving across the country? I'd love to stay in either NE Ohio or the Pittsburgh area, but I looked at several coroner's offices and only one that I checked so far had any openings posted. The ABMDI site doesn't list much, either, given it covers the whole US.

- I also understand that you start out as an assistant and get on-the-job training to be certified as an investigator. Is it hard to find people that want to train you? Is this a situation where reaching out to your local coroner and expressing interest would be welcome, (I remember cold-emailing a lot of vet clinics to get my first assistant position before vet school) or are you really limited by what's posted on their website (which is often nothing at all)?

- I have no sense of smell. I think that's generally a benefit when working around death and illness, but do you need to be able to smell to pick up on things at the scene?

has there ever been a serial killer known to use other peoples clothing from random homes he broke into and stole from for murder in on another person? would that make someone in theory much harder to catch i mean your using a whole another persons clothing leaving there DNA traces on the murder scene?

Welcome to our weekly discussion thread about forensic science!

Forensic Scientists and Professionals! What's going on this week?

Use any of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What do you do?
• What kind of work are you doing?
• Are you doing any new kinds of analyses?
• What is your work week like?
• Do you have crazy stories from the field/lab? Tell us!

Remember! Don't reveal identifying info on decedents or victims. Change names or use nicknames if you must.

Students! How's school?

Use any one of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What degree are you pursuing?
• What are you learning about?
• Have you learned something new and/or exciting?
• Are you involved in research?
• Is there anything about the field you'd like to know?

Remember! Don't ask us to do your homework or assignments for you. We did the work and you have to do it too.

If you are asking for education or employment advice, please read our subreddit guide first and then look at our resources in the sidebar. If what we have doesn't address your needs, you can ask us a question here! Let us know where you are and which country or countries you're considering for school.

Don't know where to start when it comes to schools, programs, or degrees? Take a look at our subreddit wiki for a good rundown of what you should look out for.

Confused by all the job titles, requirements, and worried about things like starting salary? Please take a look at this collection of posts from /u/Cdub919, one of our verified forensics members.

Have questions for someone working in the field? Take a look at our list of verified forensics professionals. They are frequently tagged in comments and posts when mods or other community members see that their expertise is needed. You might reach out to them in a private message or chat if you need their help. Please be respectful of their time and advice and don't harass anybody for a response.

​

Hello, I've browsed a few "how to get in/career opportunities" posts but I feel my situation is a little different. I've always had a passion for forensic science but I failed to actively pursue it. I had my first child young and went in the direction I felt brought more money. As of today, I have my BS in Cybersecurity and Criminal Justice and MS in Digital Forensics. I've been working in the IT field for about 9 years and I'm drained. I keep having these "what if" feelings, what if I followed my real interest versus the money.

I think I'm ready for the change. But where do I start from here?

• Will I need to go back for another degree in a natural science or Criminal Justice with a forensic science concentration?
• Are graduate certificates beneficial? I've seen a few of those

Thanks.

Hi there! I had a question about an aspect of field work when collecting evidence from scenes. It’s a part of forensics that I’m working on being employed in but I have a lot of hair that constantly sheds, even in braids or a ponytail. I wanted to hear from those currently in the field on ways they keep personal samples (like hair, spit, follicles, etc) from possibly getting in the crime scene. I’ve honestly been considering investing in hair nets just in case.

I was watching The sheep detectives with a friend and in it the shepherd was killed by taxine from the yew tree. It got me thinking- in my country (Ukraine), they don't check for yew poison unless they find traces of it in the stomachs. It's not in the list for required poisons to check and I was wondering if the same is true in other countries.

It surprised me how they figured out so quickly in the film the type of poison, so I wondered if the laws were different where the film is set (England?)

I was like maybe 200 feet away from a dead body and i didnt even notice the smell until I saw someone near covering their mouth with their shirt. Then it hit me. The smell of a dead decaying cat we found underneath the house years ago. I always wondered what the smell of decaying human is like. Is the smell worse than this? Perhaps the body wasnt too decomposed although it has been 95 degrees out ( found in vehicle) the past few days or perhaps I was too far away.

Welcome to our weekly general discussion thread!

Feel free to chat with your fellow forensically-minded redditors about anything! Introduce yourself, show us pictures of your cat, complain about your kids, lament about exams/work, tell us what you're eating today... whatever you want!

Here are a few resources that might answer your questions:

A subreddit wiki with links and resources to education and employment matters, archived discussions on more intermediate topics in education and employment, what kind of major you need, what degree programs are good, etc.

• The subreddit Guide - Consider this an FAQ about our community and our field. Look here for basic education and employment questions/answers you might have. Didn't find what you were looking for? Please post in our weekly scheduled posts or to the subreddit. Note: please do use a desktop browser to view all features.
• List of verified forensics professionals
• Subreddit collections (please view on desktop browsers) on the following topics:
  • Education and Employment
  • Mental Health and Preparation for Working in Forensics
  • What It's Like Working in Forensics
  • Employment: Job Titles, Job Requirements, and Starting Salary in Forensic Science

​

Quick background: Jedwabne, Poland, site of a 1941 massacre. The 2001 dig ran under limits negotiated with the religious community, so the experts could sieve the grave fill but never take up a bone. The lab work on what the sieves yielded is what interests me here. Of ninety-seven casings, forty-nine carried stamped dates from 1907 to 1915, twenty-nine were categorically fired from an MG-42 with three more probable on identical neck crimps, and the weapon did not exist until 1942. The star exhibit, a supposed nine-millimeter bullet, turned out to be a stamped metal capsule with fibrous filling. Eight casings were never tested and two got lost in the lab, which means they prove nothing in either direction.

I wrote up the full evidence picture, disclosure: my piece.

I'm a Detective / Coroner and often have to count individual pills and tablets from medication bottles that I seize.

I know there are apps that us AI to count and label pills if you take a photo. Are there any that are widely used in the forensic community? Any free options that run locally?

Welcome to our weekly discussion thread about forensic science!

Forensic Scientists and Professionals! What's going on this week?

Use any of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What do you do?
• What kind of work are you doing?
• Are you doing any new kinds of analyses?
• What is your work week like?
• Do you have crazy stories from the field/lab? Tell us!

Remember! Don't reveal identifying info on decedents or victims. Change names or use nicknames if you must.

Students! How's school?

Use any one of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What degree are you pursuing?
• What are you learning about?
• Have you learned something new and/or exciting?
• Are you involved in research?
• Is there anything about the field you'd like to know?

Remember! Don't ask us to do your homework or assignments for you. We did the work and you have to do it too.

If you are asking for education or employment advice, please read our subreddit guide first and then look at our resources in the sidebar. If what we have doesn't address your needs, you can ask us a question here! Let us know where you are and which country or countries you're considering for school.

Don't know where to start when it comes to schools, programs, or degrees? Take a look at our subreddit wiki for a good rundown of what you should look out for.

Confused by all the job titles, requirements, and worried about things like starting salary? Please take a look at this collection of posts from /u/Cdub919, one of our verified forensics members.

Have questions for someone working in the field? Take a look at our list of verified forensics professionals. They are frequently tagged in comments and posts when mods or other community members see that their expertise is needed. You might reach out to them in a private message or chat if you need their help. Please be respectful of their time and advice and don't harass anybody for a response.

​

I am an autopsy student and I want to improve myself in forensic photography. I have taken crime scene investigation courses and I want to focus on forensic photography. If you have any advice, I would be very grateful🙏🏻

I hope this is allowed to be posted here;

I want to get into the forensic art field and do age progressions/ postmortem reconstructions. I am taking classes and working to get certified. However some of the postmortem photographs I’ve seen can be quite disturbing. I am really passionate about this and think I could do a lot of good if i pursue it. But i worry about particularly distressing cases interfering with my ability to execute the job.

Did anyone else struggle with this at first, and then be able to file it separately in your brain? How long until it gets easier? Any tips?

Thank you!

Im not sure if this tag is even correct but I work in antiquities and my favorite thing is paper ephemera. I remember in high school I took a course for forensics and we would do things like comparing writing samples but it’s been so many years Im not sure what it’s called….. I want to learn to identify authenticity of autographs as well as be able to pare photos if important historical figures (I don’t say famous since many of them wouldn’t really be recognized today)

Ive been collecting autographs and photos for several years now and the only person on the planet who could have fully verified one of the possibly most significant passed away only a few years ago.

Hi everyone!

This is a bit of a long shot, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

I'm a Criminal Investigation and Forensic Sciences student, and one of my assignments is to interview someone who currently works in the forensic field. The problem is... I don't actually know anyone who does.

So I was hoping someone here might be willing to help.

The interview is pretty straightforward. Most of the questions are about your career, what you do, how you got there, the challenges of the job, and any advice you'd give someone just starting out. I'd also love to ask a couple of questions out of genuine curiosity and because I have them lol

It can all be done through Reddit messages if that's easiest.

I'm happy to interview anyone working in any area of forensic science,alocation is not something I'm concerned with. I think hearing about different career paths and experiences would actually make this even more interesting.

I completely understand if no one is interested but if someone is willing, I'd be incredibly grateful. And if this isn't the best place to ask, I'd really appreciate being pointed toward a subreddit where this kind of post would be more appropriate.

Thank you for reading this far!

Hi all,

I’m taking the LPE exam this Friday (kill me). I’m very familiar with photoshop. I downloaded a trial of the adobe elements since it’s what they use for the exam. Does anyone have any insight? Some short cuts I’m used to like (b), levels, & new layers work the same. But I can’t figure out a rotate view tool, or how to get my tabs arranged for comparison. I can’t even drag them into different areas. Has anyone taken the digital exam? I hope the tríal version just has these road blocks. Because so far the tabs and arrangement is by far the most frustrating. I’m not finding related info online. I would appreciate any help!

Hello everyone I know this may be a very specific questions into a wide variety of experienced people but I’ll give it a try. I’m currently a Forensic Scientist I in Texas and I’m currently working towards taking the exam to acquiring my license since it’s a requirement here. How could that help me (if helps at all) when applying for a job like that in Florida?
I currently do Seized Drugs and some Firearms training due to the fact we’re kinda understaffed and I’m also military my boss allows me to.
Reason of the transfer is that my fiance wants to move there and I would like to as well. Thank you. Any suggestions are more than welcome!

I’m looking for advice from anyone who’s trained as a latent print examiner or worked in a forensic unit.

I’ve been in training as a Latent Print Examiner for about a year, and I’m starting to wonder if my experience is normal or if my expectations are unrealistic.

For most of the year, I’ve spent the majority of my time reading books, SOPs, and training material. I understand that building a strong foundation is important, and my supervisor has told me that’s the priority. The problem is that I’ve had very little hands on experience.

In roughly a year, I’ve only got to do about 3 comparisons, and one of those was just shadowing. I rarely get opportunities to observe or participate in field work. For example, today another examiner was sent to fingerprint a Jane Doe patient at the hospital. It would’ve been a simple opportunity for me to observe or assist, but I wasn’t even asked to go.

I’m starting to feel like I’m falling behind, yet I also don’t feel like I’m being given many opportunities to gain practical experience. It’s gotten to the point where I don’t really feel like part of the unit because everyone else seems to be out doing the work while I’m at my desk reading.

For those of you who have gone through latent print training:

• Is this amount of hands on experience normal during the first year?
• How much casework or field experience did you get while you were training?
• At what point did you start working cases more independently?

I am setting up a fragment analysis assay in 3500xL. I set up a instrument protocol based on a available HID instrument protocol, only change sizecalling (LIZ500, organ), dye set (promega_G5) similar as with HID protocol. System error: "Pre-run validation check failed", reason:" No Spectral Calibration for Promega G5 dye set". Any recommendation and fix this error. Thank you so much.