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What is a criminalist?
Criminalists identify, compare, analyze, and interpret physical evidence.
What do criminalists do?
A criminalist's primary role is to objectively examine physical evidence using investigative skills and practical experience. It is the criminalist's job to separate important evidence from trivial evidence that has little or no intrinsic value. Using scientific methods the criminalist then identifies, sorts, and compares the evidence in a way that will be useful to the trial or investigation. Interpreting the evidence, and the results of various tests in order to determine the truth, may be the most important work a criminalist does. Accurate interpretations of evidence and test results help identify the circumstances at the time a crime was committed, and may reinforce a witness' statement. Lastly, criminalists supply written reports of their findings, and, may offer an expert testimony in court.
Where do criminalists work?
Criminalists work in sheriff's offices, state and regional agencies, forensic laboratories in police departments, medical examiners' offices, colleges and universities, attorney's offices, federal agencies such at the FBI and DEA, and for various private companies.
What kind of training will I need to break into the field of criminalistics?
In order to become a criminalist, applicants will need to acquire a minimum of a bachelor's degree in the physical, biological, or forensic sciences. Applicants must also complete at least 24 semester hours of either biology or chemistry, and math. The actual courses completed are more important than the degree title given to the graduate. Because scientific advances are continually unraveled at a rapid pace, continuing education classes are also required, and will need to be taken throughout your career.
What are the licensing or certification requirements for criminalists?
Currently, there are no mandated licensing requirements for crimanlists. However, the majority choose to become certified by the American Board of Criminalistics. In some cases, entire forensic laboratories may be accredited by organizations such as the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board.
What is the salary range for criminalists?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, experienced criminalists earn annual salaries between $35,000 and $50,000. Typically, the salaries of Federal crimanalists are higher.
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