Crime Scene Investigators, more popularly known as "CSI's" cover a wide range of duties related to evidence collection.

Television programs like "CSI" give us a very exciting and slightly skewed perspective of what life is like as a crime scene investigator. While some of the more exotic procedures you see do have their place in real police investigations, such t.v. shows regularly (understandably) exaggerate what can and can't be done to obtain vital evidence. As an example, some finger print gathering methods shown are highly improbable. Finger prints generally need to be taken off of clean, smooth surfaces, and there must be only a small amount of dust or dirt present, otherwise the fingerprint won't be detailed enough to make a match. Taking a print off a piece of fabric, or off of paper is highly improbable, if not impossible.

Regardless - crime scene investigators provide an increasingly valuable service to police from all fields. Detectives, sexual assault units, homicide, narcotics, general patrols and more, all rely on crime scene investigators to provide evidence which will lead to the conviction of a criminal. If you choose to pursue a career as a CSI, you can be sure the work you engage in will be vitally important to the conviction of some very nasty people.

The majority of a CSI's day will be spent doing the "grunt work" of the position- things like investigating the scene of break and enters for tool marks, dusting for finger prints on cars and houses, taking photographs of assault victims, property damage, accident scenes, and all manner of other recording activities which are essential to making a case.

Other activities CSI's might undertake include:

•  Taking samples of material from crime scenes, such as:
  • Hair
  • Saliva
  • Clothing
  • Material from under fingernails
  • Blood
  • Taking DNA from victims and suspects
  • Taking DNA from police and onlookers to rule them out of cases
  • Photographing any and all items or people of interest at the scene
  • Video of the scene to establish the initial state of the scene before police arrival
  • Taking samples of other materials from the victim, such as hair, dirt, fibres
  • and more...
• Making conclusions based on physical evidence, such as:
  • Blood spatter patterns
  • Bullet trajectory angles
  • Weapon type or firearm type used
  • Ammunition type used
  • Time of death
  • Possible manner of death
  • Any struggle
  • Whether the death occurred at the crime scene or elsewhere
  • and more..

Before a CSI even begins the collection of evidence, they must determine the extent of the crime scene- usually the initial responding patrol has underestimated the area involved, and a new cordon must be established to preserve evidence. The CSI must then determine which police have contaminated the scene on first response (which can't be avoided most times) and what exactly the officers touched, moved or inspected whilst on scene.

The CSI will then inspect the scene for danger- are there any smells of gas, or the chemical smell that might indicate a methamphetamine lab? Or are there any live wires, or hot lamps from a drug crop? After establishing this safety, the CSI will take notes of the scene and begin photographing it, or taking video to establish the original positioning of everything related to the scene. The CSI must be careful not to touch anything during the process, and will generally stay out of the area of the offence if at all possible.

Depending on the case the CSI might need specialist help. Many fatal motor vehicle scenes are covered by specialist traffic police, and heavily decomposed bodies can be inspected by an expert skilled in the many organisms that grow in a corpse.

After taking all evidence from the scene, and making detailed records of what the CSI has observed and found, he or she will organize the evidence and ready it in accordance with department regulations so that a case may be made against the offender or offenders.

Crime scene investigators undergo rigorous scientific and field based training, and CSI units are commonly some of the toughest and most competitive fields in policing to enter. Depending on where you work, CSI's can either be trained police, or civilian personnel which liaise closely with police. Before even considering a CSI position you may want to ask yourself:

• Can I handle gruesome bloody scenes, often many times worse than what you see on t.v.?
  • If you're unsure, you may be able to organize a visit to the local morgue to see if you have any bad reaction to the dead.
• Can I handle being recalled at all hours of the day and night? 
  • CSI's need to be on the job no matter the time - any delay in evidence gathering may mean the demise of the case.
• Am I patient and diligent?
  • Most evidence gathering is not based on your ability to magically pick out an oddity from a scene, you must apply methodical and often painfully slow techniques of searching large areas, "with a fine tooth comb". 
• Have I got a scientific background? 
  • If you haven't gone to university or taken college courses related to forensic science or biology, its probably a good time to start.
• How devoted am I willing to be to policing or career development? 
  • CSI as mentioned is one of the most highly competitive fields you could ever be involved in- you may find yourself needing to develop yourself professionally before applying, and you will likely need to apply and be declined numerous times before scoring a position.

If you answer positively to the above questions you might have a career in crime scene investigation in your future. If not- maybe investigation roles such as detective work may appeal to you. 

Got any other questions regarding crime scene investigators? Ask me here!