What Are the Ten Main Areas of Discipline in Forensics?
Forensics involves the application of various professional fields to the legal or justice system. Forensic careers have grown in popularity due to the increase in entertainment programs that glorify the work, such as "CSI" and other police procedural shows. True crime shows are also popular; they often portray the work in a more-realistic, less-Hollywood manner. The forensics field is divided by different professional fields, all of which work in conjunction to solve crimes and prosecute criminals.
Other People Are Reading
-
Forensic Criminalists
-
Criminalists work to preserve crime scenes and evidence, reduce risk of contamination of vital evidence and secure the crime scene until the crime scene unit's work is complete. Criminalists may be certified through the American Board of Criminalistics, but education requirements depend on the regional police department needs rather than a standard "criminalist" degree. An understanding of police procedure, forensic tools, evidence collection and the law is needed, suggesting some education background in criminal justice and forensic science.
Forensic Engineers
-
Forensic engineers work in a variety of settings, often determining the events that led to a crash, accident or other incident. Fire cases may call upon a forensic engineer to determine the cause of the fire and whether it was arson. Injury and wrongful death cases, car accidents, explosions and other confusing cases are analyzed by forensic engineers who then attempt to explain what happened.
-
Forensic Biologists
-
Biologists working in forensic fields conduct analyses of plant, animal and insect evidence, as well as body fluids and hair. Within the biology field, forensic scientists may have different titles such as "Forensic Entomologist" if they primarily specialize in bugs. A strong science background is required and many positions demand minimum of a master's degree, with a doctorate-level education preferred for official titles.
Forensic Toxicologists
-
Toxicologists trace evidence of poisons or drugs, including prescription drugs, that may be the cause of death or have a life-threatening effect on people and other living creatures. Scientific methods and advanced education are required for such a position in forensic, as well as certification depending on the specialty fields.
Forensic Document Examiners
-
Forensic document examiners work with documents of all sorts such as wills, medical records, checks, letters and contracts. The forensic document examiner may analyze the paper or ink, or handwriting authentication. Identifying forged documents is also a forensic document examiner task. There are no specific college majors for this forensics field, but many forensic document examiners acquire science degrees and seek certification through the American Board of Forensic Document Examination.
Computer Forensics
-
Computer examiners in forensics help recover lost damaged or deleted data as well as break through encryption and password protection in an effort to aid a criminal investigation. Evidence uncovered through forensic computer examinations can help law enforcement as well as prosecutors. An appreciation for the law and proper evidence-handling is a must for this profession. Computer or science education is helpful, as is certification as a computer examiner.
Forensic Anthropologists
-
Forensic anthropologists have a doctorate in forensic or physical anthropology and work to identify human remains, primarily bones, in criminal cases as well as natural disasters, war zones and other settings. A forensic anthropologist may seek certification through the American Board of Forensic Anthropologists, and work opportunities include academic professions as well as working with law enforcement and medical examiners.
Forensic Psychologists & Forensic Psychiatrists
-
Forensic psychologists and forensic psychiatrists approach similar tasks with different educations. A psychologist possesses a doctorate, usually a Ph.D. but possibly a Psy.D. or Ed.D., and specializes in the application of psychological practices and research to the legal and justice system. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has completed a forensic psychiatry residency after his other residencies and apply psychiatry to legal settings.
Forensic Pathologists
-
Forensic pathology is the field in which medical examiners or coroners are found. The forensic pathologist is a medical doctor who examines bodies for evidence such as time of death, cause of death and any relevant information that may aid the investigators in the case. Education for forensic pathologists involves acquiring either an M.D. or a D.O. upon completion of medical school and an additional residency to gain pathology knowledge and experience.
Forensic Odontologists
-
Also known as dentists, odontologists working in forensics may help identify remains by their dental records or analyze marks made by teeth. Education includes becoming a doctor of dental science, with the option of additional training in forensic odontology through professional organizations that also offer membership and certification.
-
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
