The term Forensic comes from the Latin term “Forensis” that means “of or before the forum” and Science is a Latin word "Scientia" which means "knowledge". Forensic science is the study of science and criminal justice. Forensic science is generally the application of scientific knowledge and methods to criminal investigations and legal problems. It is about the applying scientific knowledge to the investigation of a crime and helps in solving crime mysteries. Forensic Science is a multidisciplinary subject; it consists of various fields of science such as chemistry, biology, physics, geology, psychology, social science, engineering, etc. The forensic science used across the globe to protect public health, to enforce criminal laws and regulations and to resolve civil disputes. Forensic scientists are who help to collect, preserve, and examining physical evidence during the course of an investigation. Archimedes is the first forensic scientist in the world. Generally, this career field is for those people who have a keen interest in human anatomy and forensic studies.
The future of forensic science study is bright. As a forensic scientist, you can pursue your career in government and the private sector. The study related to this field will improve your skills and knowledge. After completion of your relevant study, you can run your own forensic practice and forensic service office. You also may get an opportunity to employ in Forensic Laboratories, Detective Offices, Banks and other government and private organizations. There are various opportunities in this field because of rising rates of crimes in the world day by day. So, the job opportunities in this field are endless. You can get pursue your career as forensic scientist everywhere in India or in overseas it’s all up to your desire.
Skills Required for Becoming Forensic Scientist
Before you go into details of the requirement for forensic science careers, it’s important to have some particular skills for this field. The skills listed below are the basic requirement for every aspiring forensic scientist.
- Good knowledge of Science subjects like Biology and Chemistry.
- An enquiring mind as well as good technical skills.
- High degree of accuracy and attention to detailing in your nature of work.
- Great and keen observation skills.
- Patience and strong analytical skills.
- Able to work under pressure for long hours and also have good team spirit.
Courses for Forensic Science Career
There are generally two parts of study for this field. First is graduation based courses and the second one is higher studies based on post-graduation programs.
- After 12th courses: Take these courses if you are focused and determined to pursue your career as a forensic scientist.
- After Graduation courses: If you want to continue your study after graduation in the relevant field and want to become specialized, then you have the following choices.
Career Options in Forensic Science
There are various career profiles within the field of forensic science. Now, we will discuss the top career paths in forensic science.
- Crime Scene Investigator: The Crime scene investigators are also known as Forensic science technicians. Their main job is to give assistance in the collection of evidence; conduct analysis and help in the investigation of crime scenes. As a forensic science technician, you will be assisting a forensic scientist who is a senior of you. You will be completely responsible for the collection of evidence i.e. biological samples for example blood, hair, fingerprints, shoeprints etc. Besides this, you will also be involved in the maintenance of laboratory instruments, preparing reports and assisting your senior colleagues. A bachelor’s degree in crime scene investigation, which usually takes about 4 years to complete, is a standard in the field of crime scene investigation. Average base salary of a crime scene investigator is around Rs. 7,30,774 per year.
- Forensic Ballistics Expert: They are the experts in everything in terms of firearms like guns, pistols, bullets etc. Their main role is to help the crime investigators i.e. police or detective in identifying the trajectory of fired rounds to find a point of origin. Also, they identify the features of the bullet used in the crime i.e. type of bullet, a calibre of bullet and even where it was manufactured. They also investigate the facts like a gun was fired recently or not and find out that whether or not a particular bullet was fired from the specific gun. Moreover, these experts sometimes involved in crime scene mapping. With the help of special software programs like photogrammetric and laser measuring tools, they are able to determine the location from which a round was fired and the direction in which bullet travelled, this makes the search for physical evidence easier. These crime scene maps can be used to create diagrams for police or investigation reports. A common degree program for ballistics experts is a bachelor’s degree in forensic science. The estimated annual salary package of this expert is around Rs. 4,84,298.
- Bloodstain Pattern Analyst: The main job of Bloodstain pattern analysts is to analyze the patterns in the blood which helps to get important clues about various crimes. They examine the blood drips, spills, spatters and stains. Also, they can determine the type of weapon used in a crime, whether a struggle occurred or not, the direction of travel of a victim or suspect, who was the primary aggressor and whether wounds were self-inflicted or not. To become a bloodstain pattern analyst you have to do a comprehensive training program in forensic science. In an entry-level position, you can earn up to Rs. 3,40,000 per year, rest will be on your skills.
- Forensic DNA Analyst: DNA contains the genetic coding that makes all humans different from each other. DNA determination is a key part of the criminology and forensic science. As DNA analysis is far more accurate even than fingerprint evidence that is why DNA analysis can provide perfect identification and accurate results. The analysts compare the DNA samples taken from suspects, victims, crime scenes, and from other objects to find out that if someone was present at a crime scene or not. DNA analysts work mainly in a laboratory; perform tests on the evidence collected by police officers or investigators. A bachelor's degree in molecular biology genetics, forensic sciences, or related field is required for becoming a DNA analyst. The average annual salary of a DNA analyst is approximately Rs. 5,00,000.
- Forensic Toxicologist: Their main job is to study the presence and effects of toxins on humans. Forensic toxicologists tell about the causes of death which include poisons, chemicals or other toxic substances. They generally work on post-mortem, human performance, or drug testing cases. They monitor bodily fluids, hair, and nails that may be present in either the victim or the suspect. They use microanalysis and their biological and chemical knowledge to examine these substances. To become a forensic toxicologist, a Bachelor’s of Science in Forensic Toxicology is needed. The starting annual salary of this field is approximately Rs. 4,80,000.
- Forensic Documents Examiners: They are the professionals who compare handwriting samples, determine the origin of documents and also detect frauds in the documentation. They play an important role in solving the crimes like scams and monetary frauds. They use their skills and knowledge to find out the forgeries of contracts, checks, bank statements, electronic records and other documents. They also examine other things like the validity of a signature and the relative age of any document. A bachelor’s degree in forensic science or a similar program is required for this profession. The starting annual salary of this field is approximately Rs.5,00,000.
- Forensic Computer Investigator: These investigator experts reconstruct and analyze digital data to help in investigations and solve cyber crimes. They take care of incidents like hacking, track origins of computer attacks, and recover lost or stolen data. They collect data from all sorts of devices including damaged and wiped hard drives, cell phones, and tablets and from other electronic devices. Their earning potential is quite large due to the increasing demand. A bachelor’s degree in Digital forensics, computer forensics, computer security, or related field is required. The annual salary of a computer investigator in the forensic field is around Rs. 7,50,000.
- Forensic Accountant: White collar crimes like bank frauds, money laundering, wire frauds, public corruptions, kickback schemes, tax frauds, cyber-terrorism etc. increases by the passing of time. Due to which Forensic accountants have become very important. They provide investigative services to both public and private employers. Forensic accountants study all the documents, electronic records, mail trails, and financial records to find the evidence of fraud and other financial crimes. A bachelor's program in forensic accounting or a related field is compulsory for this profession. The yearly salary of a forensic accountant is around Rs. 9,70,000.
- Forensic Anthropologist: The professionals who identify human remains and study the decomposed physical remains and skeletal systems. They can determine the age, sex and weight of a victim as well as the types of injuries he or she received and the potential cause of death. A bachelor’s degree in forensic, biological, or physical anthropology is must for this designation. The starting annual salary of a forensic anthropologist is nearly Rs. 4,00,000.
- Forensic Psychologist: Forensic psychologists work in both criminal and civil cases. They play a crucial role in understanding the psyche of the criminal, motive of crime and also sometimes in the nature of sentencing. They investigate the cases of child abuse or rapes, evaluate victims, witnesses and suspects, and help the jury to determine whether a suspect can stand trial or not. The type of graduate program an individual chooses to go through will depend on if they want to work in the field, which is called applied forensic psychology, or if they want to do research, which is called academic forensic psychology. The annual income in this profession is around Rs. 7,20,000.
- Forensic Pathologist: Forensic pathologists are also called medical examiners. They determine the cause of death by examining the dead body. A post-mortem is performed by forensic pathologists. They can also tell the investigators about the type of weapon used and tell an estimated time of the victim’s death. They help in the cases by determining the cause of death that is how pathologists play a key role in the investigation. To become a forensic pathologist, one has to complete an MD in Forensic Medicine after successfully completing his/ her MBBS. A forensic pathologist earns an annual salary of around Rs. 4,20,000.
- Forensic Odontologist: At times DNA analysis and fingerprint analysis could be impossible because of clean crimes, mass casualty or sample contamination. In such cases, forensic odontologists use the unique dental features (which we all have) to identify human remains. They are able to collect dental evidence from a variety of sources and further use it to identify both victims and suspects. A forensic odontologist must first earn a Bachelor’s of Dental Science. He/she can earn up to Rs 5,00,000 per year.
- Polygraph Examiner: A polygraph is a machine which is used in solving crime cases and detecting lies told by suspects and witnesses. Polygraph examiners conduct examinations using the lie detectors or polygraph examination and provide results. However, polygraph reports are not always admissible in the court as solid evidence; but they can give clues in complex crime situations which are helpful in these types of cases. A bachelor’s degree is required in the related field to become a polygraph examiner. The annual salary package of a polygraph examiner is around Rs. 5,50,000.
Eventually, I must say that in recent years, forensic science has attracted attention both on the small screen and in the real world. So, no doubt that forensic science has a bright future, you can pursue your career in this field if you are interested in the same.
