All You Need To Know About Crime Scene Investigation Programs

Many people think that interest in the criminal scene investigation field is a new thing, especially due to popular television shows such as 'CSI' and 'Law and Order.' However, this is not the case as colleges have been offering criminal scene investigation degree programs for many years and well before these shows were even thought of. A crime scene investigation degree, otherwise known as a degree in forensic science is a great program to get involved in and as plenty of colleges offer programs in this area there is plenty of options available. The sorts of topics you can expect include crime, blood splatter, and biological specimen analysis and lots more.

If you are interested in a degree in crime scene investigation then there are plenty of accredited forensics colleges to choose from depending on your personal preferences. The school that you choose will largely depend on what you want to do in your future career as difference programs will train people for different jobs. For example, some courses will be more focused on crime scene investigations whereas others may concentrate more on lab work or computer forensics.

Most colleges that specialize in crime scene investigation will offer two types of programs: bachelor degrees and master degrees. A lot of the jobs associated with criminal justice require supplementary training which can take years. For example, if you are looking for a career in DNA lab work then a good candidate will already have qualifications in chemistry, biochemistry, genetics and biology. And if you are applying for a MA degree then it is beneficial to take on some forensic work experience otherwise you may end up having to take extra courses to get this experience.

The subject of crime scene investigation spans many programs including microscopy, forensic molecular biology, crime scene reconstruction, population statistics and much more. These are the sorts of courses that you can expect to undertake when you enroll on a masters course at a forensic college. You should expect to spend a lot of your time in the lab as this is where valuable skills will be honed. If you want to be a forensic technician, it is really important to have access to direct lab work as this will enable you to learn important methods and techniques and practice the basics involved in forensic science. Clearly, this is a hands-on degree program which means that distance learning really doesn't work for this sort of course. Those who choose to study a degree in crime scene investigation without actually doing in-class work will suffer as they won't learn the sort of skills that other students will. It is possible to do an online crime scene investigation degree program but these are generally not recommended by experts within the field.

When it comes to applying for a forensic college, you need to make sure that you have clean personal record. Most colleges will not allow you onto the program if there are any references to drug use or personal convictions. There are even some US states such as Miami who will not allow you onto the course if you a smoker!

A career in crime scene investigation can be incredibly rewarding and interesting and once in the industry, most people have a job for life. However, the training and studying period of your education will require a lot of determination and hard work; it could also take a few years. It is well worth it once completed though, so if you think a degree in crime scene investigation is for you, why not apply for a program.

Find detailed information about top criminal justice schools which are offering crime scene analysis programs at CriminalJusticeU.com. Choose the best criminal justice school for you and start your path to a rewarding career.

National news programs exploit crime victims and their families

THE OLYMPIAN | • Published June 15, 2011

If you watch any of the 24-hour cable news channels, you can’t avoid the nightly barrage of shows which focus, ad nauseam, on true crime stories with an emphasis on missing, exploited and murdered children.

It’s impossible to escape the coverage of a missing child; the most recent example is Caylee Anthony, whose mother is currently on trial for the child’s murder. Any redeeming value in shining a spotlight on a child victim who might possibly be found through tips from the viewing public is overshadowed by torrid voyeurism.

The players involved in the investigation become characters in a soap opera, made more sordid by the sensationalized television coverage. Each night, fingers are pointed, understandably, at family members who most often are legitimate “persons of interest.”

However, instead of neutral reporting about the status of the criminal investigation, viewers are treated to hours of reckless speculation about who killed the child and why. The anchors and the guests, who are most often legal commentators, essentially play a game of Clue in front of millions of viewers.

The family’s dirty laundry is aired, skeletons rattling in their closets. Innocent until proven guilty becomes guilty in the media until proven innocent in a court of law. Oftentimes, the evidence reported in the media is compelling. A person rightfully emerges as the perpetrator who should be vilified if indeed he or she did kill a child. Child killers do not deserve our sympathy, but perhaps their families do.

The grief of a family whose child is missing or murdered is unimaginable. Yet the media, often with reckless abandon, spotlights the grieving family, creating an insatiable desire in its viewers to learn increasingly salacious details each night. While the suspect’s adultery may be an issue in the case, do we, the public, need to know all of the graphic details, even if we secretly desire to play armchair detective?

Apparently, we do because some of these news programs share the transcripts of the racy text messages with audiences each night, while in the background a montage of pictures of the smiling child victim is displayed. I have often wondered how an innocent family member must feel if he or she came across such a program while channel surfing. How do you watch strangers on national television Monday morning quarterbacking your child’s murder?

In all fairness, some of the family members do seek out publicity; however, it is mostly to bring in tips, find the body or solve the murder. Desperate parents and relatives will often voluntarily appear on these shows in their pursuit of justice.

I recently observed one such interview by a well-respected morning anchor. The mother just learned that her murdered daughter’s body had been discovered. The anchor asked her, “How do you feel?” Hard-hitting journalism? Obviously not, because any person, whether a parent or not, knows the answer to that question. But the fact that the question is asked demonstrates the callous nature of news programs to crime victims and their families.

The coverage only intensifies once a suspect is brought to trial. Some might say this is the price we pay for having a judicial system which is fair, open and accessible to all. However, no one could have anticipated 24-hour news cycles which demand endless fodder to captivate a national audience, obtain ratings gold, and more importantly, the almighty ratings/advertising dollar.

Is the murder of a child newsworthy? Absolutely. But the reporting of it should be done with grace and empathy. Featuring nightly coverage of a child’s murder week after week is not journalism, but simply exploitation.

Ami Peterson, who lives and works in Olympia, is a member of The Olympian’s Board of Contributors. She can be reached at amipetersonoly@yahoo.com.

Victims pay price for sudden firings

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Victims pay price for sudden firings

Why did Jon Tunheim unfairly fire four deputy prosecutors who worked tirelessly to prosecute perpetrators of sexual assault for years? Did he think no one would pay attention during the holidays?

Was FBI too quick to judge anthrax suspect the killer?

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Was FBI too quick to judge anthrax suspect the killer?

Scouring the anthrax-laced mail that took five lives and terrorized the East Coast in 2001, laboratory scientists discovered a unique contaminant — a tiny scientific fingerprint that they hoped would help unmask the killer. Yet once FBI agents concluded that the likely culprit was Bruce Ivins, they stopped looking for the contaminant. That decision could reignite the debate over whether its agents found the real killer.

Where and when to watch the wedding

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Where and when to watch the wedding

CHICAGO – To say the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton will be a massive media revelry is, at best, an understatement. Every major U.S. and international news organization and cable channel is jockeying for position to broadcast live the British couple’s day of bliss.

Philippines allows live coverage of massacre trial

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Philippines allows live coverage of massacre trial

The Philippine Supreme Court will allow live broadcast coverage of the trial of members of a powerful clan accused in the killing of 57 people including 31 journalists in the country's worst political violence, a spokesman said Tuesday.

As Mideast roils, Al Jazeera finds its 'CNN moment'

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As Mideast roils, Al Jazeera finds its 'CNN moment'

What a difference the chain of Middle East uprisings — and a change of presidents in the White House — has made for Al Jazeera.

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