I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.
It's concerning because juries expect more than is reasonable. Not every case is going to have DNA evidence and you don't always find fingerprints on a surface and eyewitness testimony sounds convincing but can be very unreliable. However an expert can hopefully explain all these issues to make the limitations clear, provided the jury listens.
Only local, to other government agencies or for training.
No.
Juries' unrealistic expectations of forensic science may make court cases harder to win, but that's not the same thing.
I like all the interesting, different, bizarre stories that make up the crimes that have happened that we have to investigate. I dislike being 'on call' and knowing you can be interrupted at any moment of the day and have to go to a crime scene, even if it's the middle of the night or a holiday. I've also had to change vacations because I have to testify in a trial. I hate that.
Swim Instructor
3D Games Developer/Programmer
Call Center Employee (Retail)
No. Depending on where you work and what you do, your employer might want you to be 'certified' in one area or the other.
Sorry I went to the link but it just loaded forever and I coudn't view the picture.
UPDATE: Hey on a whim I tried the link again and could see the picture. Unfortunately I still couldn't make a guess as to what the pile is. Though in my opinion it looks too light-colored to be a decomposing animal.
I wasn't aware that there were theories other than: Do the right thing. Don't do the wrong thing.
Figuring out which is which isn't really that hard. Doing it might be, but it's usually not hard to figure out.
Hope that helps!
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