What Skills Do You Need to Be a Crime Scene Technician?

Crime scenes can be grisly sights and technicians must be able to handle the stress.

Crime scene technicians appear on the scenes of often brutal, violent crimes and gather evidence to be tested and analyzed in a crime lab. The evidence they find can prove crucial to the outcome of court trials. Oftentimes the tiny hairs or blood spots found by crime scene technicians are what lead investigators to convict the perpetrator of the crime. Crime scene technicians need a very specific set of skills to be able to handle the demands of the career, and many of these skills are learned on the job.

Attention to Detail

Crime scene technicians need excellent attention to detail to be able to catch the tiniest specks of evidence at a crime scene. Murderers and criminals often go to great lengths to eliminate any trace of their presence at a crime scene, but a good crime scene technician will use his keen eye to catch the tiniest drop of blood, fingerprint, hair or fingernail left behind by the guilty suspect. A crime scene technician must observe a crime scene extremely closely in order to detect the tiniest logical inconsistencies.

Teamwork Skills

Crime scene technicians work in teams, cooperating with other law enforcement officials like cops and investigators. Strong teamwork skills are extremely important for this career. Hotshot types who want to receive all the recognition should not consider this job. Everyone works together on a crime scene, each individual fulfilling her given responsibility without stepping on the toes of others. Taking apart a crime scene is a big job with a very methodical set of procedures, and a good crime scene investigation team works much like a well-oiled machine with each individual contributing to the success of the whole.

Communication Skills

Communication skills, both written and oral, are also very important for crime scene technicians. While on the scene of a crime, technicians make detailed observations and write down their findings. Later this information can be used as evidence in a court of law, so it's important that the information be accurate and clearly written. Crime scene technicians may also be required to stand as witnesses on trials, which requires strong public speaking skills.

Strong Stomach

Though movies and TV shows often do exaggerate, crime scenes can be gruesome sights. A crime scene technician needs to be prepared to view corpses on a daily basis, including those that have been brutally murdered and left for long periods of time. Having a strong stomach is essential to this career. Crime scene technicians must be able to separate their emotions from the professional tasks at hand. Those who are squeamish about blood and body parts should not consider this profession.

References

• Degrees.info: 7 Skills of a Crime Scene Investigator
• Education Portal: Crime Scene Investigator Education Requirements and Career Info
• The CriminalJustice-Schools-Degrees: Location for Becoming Crime Scene Technician