Forensic Science Monthly Feb 2014 | Page 7

Careers

Advice

It is important to know the differences between roles in Forensic Science before committing to one pathway or another:

These two pathways are Expert (Forensic Scientists) or Professional (Practitioner)

Here we will explain the differences between the two, but also gain an understanding of the roles each can carry out.

Both pathways are as important as the next, with one unable to function without the other.

The Expert usually is a graduate who is working for a Forensic Science company or organisation in a role delivering analytical and opinion evidence.

The Professional is usually the Crime Scnee investigator, Fingerprint Officer or other professional who has been trained to a high degree but does not necessarily hold an acedemic degree.

Forensic Scientats carry out many roles including (but not limited to):

Pathologists, Biologists, Toxicologists, Ballistics Experts, Odontologists, Anthropologists, Entomologists, Chemists, and many more.

Forensic Professionals also have many different roles and sometimes one person covers a number of these at a time:

Crime Scene Investigator (CSI), Crime Scene Manager, Crime Scene Co-ordinator, Scientific Support Manager, Head of Scenes of Crime, Photographer, videographer, Exhibits Officer, Forensic Tasking officer, Forensic Intelligence Officer, Forensic Submissions Officer, Anatomical Mortuary Technician, and many more.

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