How to Become a CSI Lab Tech

Everyone has heard of the show C.S.I. and wanted to enter the fascinating world of crime scene investigation. It is pretty straight forward if you have the commitment and drive.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• School tuition
• 4 years (maybe more)
• A cast-iron stomach
• Determination to succeed

1. Most crime labs require a B.S. in a hard science, such as Chemistry or Biology. So obtaining one is a big first step to breaking into this career.
2. After you have your degree, the best way to get your name out there is to intern at a local police department crime lab. Depending the city where you live, they may process the evidence there or send them out to a state crime lab, such as the Department of Justice crime lab, etc. The law enforcement community is tight knit and everyone seems to know everyone else. So do a good job and they will likely hire you.
3. Learning about the criminal justice system is secondary to knowing the hard sciences. But taking a minor in criminology probably won't hurt either.

Tips & Warnings

• Research your local police department about specific duties performed by the C.S.I. there. It varies on state and city. Smaller cities might not even have one and send their evidence to a state or federal crime lab.
• C.S.I.'s used to do every aspect of analysis. Now, they specialize: chemical analysis, guns and firearms, D.N.A., etc. So find out which one interests you the most.
• C.S.I. IS A SHOW!!! Research into this career before you committ to it, as the show is not an accurate representation of what a C.S.I. actually does.
• Make sure you can handle seeing gruesome scenes. A body that has been in a humid room undiscovered for a week is not a pleasant smell. And it would be your job to poke and prod it. Enough said.