Crime Scene Technician Training

Crime scene technicians work along the cutting edge of forensic science and are invaluable partners to detectives, state and local police departments, the judicial system, public defenders and federal law enforcement agencies.

It's not too difficult to find yourself working in the field. For some jobs, you'll need only a high-school education and specialized certifications; for others you'll need to be an experienced, sworn law officer with a four-year degree in forensic science.

Crime Scene Technician Training

Crime scene technicians may train at four-year colleges and universities or take dedicated classes at specialty schools leading to job certifications. Courses can include studies in the recovery and preservation of physical evidence, identification and classification of fingerprints, crime-scene photography, biological and DNA collection, laboratory procedure and chemical analysis, and courtroom presentation procedure.

Many crime scene technicians learn the necessary photographic techniques in community college courses.

Since 1977, The International Association for Identification has established testing and renewal programs for bloodstain analysis certification, crime scene certification, forensic photography certification, latent print pattern certification, and footwear certification. They also offer testing and certification for crime scene artists who compose criminal suspect drawings, facial reconstructions, and courtroom graphic evidence.

Crime Scene Technician Employment Outlook

After receiving training, crime scene technicians are qualified to work for crime labs, fire investigators, medical examiner's departments, and evidence rooms. While working for law enforcement agencies, crime scene technicians are called in to investigate crimes including burglaries, assaults, homicides, and vehicle theft.

There is a growing demand for law enforcement scientists, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, but technicians will need to train on the latest, computer-enhanced research and analysis programs to be competitive.