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Forensic scientists use science and technology to investigate crimes. Qualifications vary by specialty, but typically require a bachelor’s degree in biology or physical sciences for laboratory work, a medical degree for medical examiners, and computer science or engineering for digital forensics. Psychology and criminology degrees are also useful for forensic psychologists.
Advances in science and technology have given the criminal justice system a new set of tools for investigating crimes and prosecuting criminals. Professionals who use their scientific and technical knowledge to help solve crimes are widely referred to as forensic scientists. Those in these positions must complete extensive, specialized training to work in the field, and the qualifications needed to perform this type of work are different for each forensic specialty.
Forensic scientist qualifications for any field usually begin with a bachelor’s degree. This is often the basic qualification for working as a technician in a laboratory that deals with scientific testing for crime scenes or for working as an examiner at crime scenes themselves. Degrees in biology or physical sciences offer some of the best preparation for taking tests – such as DNA analysis or particle identification – as a laboratory technician. These degrees are also usually required for a lab technician to advance in a scientific field.
Medical degrees are common forensic scientist qualifications for individuals who want to become medical examiners. They are professionals specialized in examining the bodies of deceased persons. Medical examiners can determine the cause of death and collect additional evidence from the body for analysis. In many countries, aspiring medical examiners must complete graduation with extensive preparation in biology, mathematics, and physical sciences to enter medical school. Medical school students can choose to major in forensics for graduate work.
A growing specialty in the field of criminal justice is digital forensics. Professionals in this field scan computers, smart phones, and other digital devices for evidence of criminal activity. These people perform jobs such as scanning hard drives for deleted data, such as incriminating emails, photos or other documents. Forensic scientist qualifications for work in digital forensics generally include degrees in computer science or computer engineering at the undergraduate or graduate level, although some universities offer specific degrees in digital computer or forensics.
Courses in psychology and criminology are forensic scientist qualifications for those who want to investigate how criminals think like forensic psychologists. These professionals use past quantitative research and statistical probability to discern the likely psychological characteristics of individuals who commit crimes, and can use this same training to help choose the best approaches to some crisis situations, such as hostage negotiations. The job market for forensic psychologists can be very competitive; therefore, those pursuing graduate degrees in psychology and criminology generally have more job opportunities in the field.
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