Forensic Scientist
Disentangling crime!
Being impartial ethical, honest, curious, observant with an eye for details, a good communicator and above all a keen team worker, are some essential needed here. If science interests you and crime intrigues you, but what fascinates you most is finding out that did it… then brace yourself for a career in forensic sciences. A forensic science applies a range of different sciences to help solve gruesome criminal and often perplexing civil offences. Forensic scientists thus ac as scientific sleuths helping police investigators and even lawyers to nail down guilty culprits. Additionally, they also lend credibility to the justice system by providing scientific evidence and expert opinion before the judiciary to help them determine the innocence or guilt of the accused.
Qualities
Being impartial, ethical honest, curious, observant with an eye for detail, a good communicator and above all a keen team worker are some essential need here. Besides these, it is necessary that the individuals is strong enough to handle sensitive information , brainy enough to tie up loose ends of a case, knowledgeable enough not only about scientific but legal processes too and above writes well enough to effectively make scientific reports in layman’s language. These apart, a forensic scientist must be credible, host and have integrity.
Qualification ad training
Taking special interest in science while in school and college certainly helps those aspiring to join the field. Being an extremely broad sphere and a combination of many different scientific discipline, the qualification required to work here also vary depending on the kind of forensic scientists one wants to become. Most people pursue forensics after completing a Bachelors degree in medicine/dentistry/engineering and psychiatry or specialization in subjects like analytical chemistry, forensic pathologic, chemistry, biochemistry anthropology, forensic medicine, besides others. The different types of specialists in the fields can be classified as ‘crime scene Investigator’, ‘forensic Dentists’, ‘clinical forensic medics’, ‘forensics chemists’, ‘Toxicologists’, ‘Forensic Engineers’, ‘Forensic Linguistics’ and ‘Forensic photographers’ apart from others.
Job profile and career prospects
Armed with an unbiased approach, forensic scientists work hand in hand with police teams, investigators and lawyer from the prosecution and defense side. Usually employed by government they can be found working in forensic laboratories. Gaining experience, expertise and reputation with time, many venture out to become independent consultants and academicians in the fields as well. Among their major responsibilities are collecting and examining physical evidence like hair samples, dentures and saliva, which may serve as future clues, from scene of crime. These are later examined in a laboratory and prepared in to scientific evidence admissible in courts of laws. Forensic scientists are also the only one authorized to write their report based on their report based on their findings and testing in courts of laws. Forensic scientists are also the only ones authorized to write their report based on their findings and testify in court as expert witnesses, equipped to simplified explain complex scientific processes in courts. These professionals are also responsible for professionals are also responsible for maintaining accurate records and ensuring that the secrecy and integrity of the evidence is preserved.
Pros and cons
Experts warn that this is one profession where the hierarchical growth is restricted, incomes are never sky-rocketing, work hours are uncertain and work subjects are often gory. Yet, for those who will give anything to get an extra adrenalin rush in their lives, this is the ideal job to be in! Exciting, intellectually challenging, ever expanding in scope, part of law enforcing agencies and increasingly lending credibility to the justice system, forensic science is a much respected sphere today!
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