Qualifications to Become a Crime Lab Analyst
The career of a crime lab analyst is not nearly as glamorous as it is portrayed on television shows including Law and Order, CSI or NCIS. It is often high-pressure work because of backlogs due to budget shortages and it can even be tedious or boring. The technology on television programs does not portray reality either because some of the technology shown is not in use and the municipality in which you find a job might not have the budget to afford state-of-the art technology but instead use old-fashioned, less exciting analysis methods.
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Undergraduate Programs
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The first qualification of a crime lab analyst is to have an undergraduate degree in science. The website Criminal Justice Schools says a bachelor's degree in any of the following is required: forensic science, a physical science, natural science, criminalistics, chemistry, biology, pharmacology/toxicology or physics. A chemistry undergraduate degree is the one most highly recommended.
Other Concentrations
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To specialize in DNA analysis, Legal Criminal Justice Schools recommends a biology degree with additional study in genetics and biochemistry.
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Internships
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While earning your bachelor's degree, an internship in a crime lab will provide you good training and first-hand experience. Because of backlogs and budget restrictions, interns are typically welcome, so do not hesitate to apply for an unpaid internship at a crime lab in your area, even if openings are not advertised.
Other Training
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Many crime labs have their own on-site training programs or training programs off-site that they require prospective employees to successfully complete before joining the staff.
Specializing
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Crime lab analysts can analyze DNA, human tissue, human bones, evidence of all kinds from crime scenes and photos from on-site video cameras. In small labs, analysts must work with all these materials and more. Specializing in one area makes you an expert, which is good, but also be conscientious about learning to analyze the other materials too, so you will be more employable.
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