forensic

It was interesting to me as someone who has consumed a lot of true crime content

Hi, all! I recently applied to a Crime Scene Technician job, and while I haven’t heard anything yet (the website states that it is undergoing a second review), I want to be prepared in case I get an interview. I like to be prepped for any scenario.

The job requirements state that only an Associates is required in this position. I am at the very end of my Bachelors in crime scene investigation. Otherwise, I have no other experience in the field. I did apply in advanced because I know that the application process is long. But any advice or insight to the interview process or the whole application process would be great! Thanks!

Welcome to our weekly general discussion thread!

Feel free to chat with your fellow forensically-minded redditors about anything! Introduce yourself, show us pictures of your cat, complain about your kids, lament about exams/work, tell us what you're eating today... whatever you want!

Here are a few resources that might answer your questions:

A subreddit wiki with links and resources to education and employment matters, archived discussions on more intermediate topics in education and employment, what kind of major you need, what degree programs are good, etc.

• The subreddit Guide - Consider this an FAQ about our community and our field. Look here for basic education and employment questions/answers you might have. Didn't find what you were looking for? Please post in our weekly scheduled posts or to the subreddit. Note: please do use a desktop browser to view all features.
• List of verified forensics professionals
• Subreddit collections (please view on desktop browsers) on the following topics:
  • Education and Employment
  • Mental Health and Preparation for Working in Forensics
  • What It's Like Working in Forensics
  • Employment: Job Titles, Job Requirements, and Starting Salary in Forensic Science

​

This is more of a cybercrime topic too. Let's say someone leaks classified documents from the government or from private individuals. Is it feasible to censor those not only on the internet and media but on people's private spaces too ?

Welcome to our weekly thread for:

• Education advice/questions about university majors, degrees, programs of study, etc.
• Employment advice on things like education requirements, interviews, application materials, etc.
• Interviews for a school/work project or paper. We advise you engage with the community and update us on the progress and any publication(s).
• Questions about what we do, what it's like, or if this is the right job for you

Please let us know where you are and which country or countries you're considering for school so we can tailor our advice for your situation.

Here are a few resources that might answer your questions:

• A subreddit wiki with links and resources to education and employment matters, archived discussions on more intermediate topics in education and employment, what kind of major you need, what degree programs are good, etc.
• The subreddit Guide - Consider this an FAQ about our community and our field. Look here for basic education and employment questions/answers you might have. Didn't find what you were looking for? Please post in our weekly scheduled posts or to the subreddit. Note: please do use a desktop browser to view all features.
• List of verified forensics professionals
• Subreddit collections (please view on desktop browsers) on the following topics:
  • Education and Employment
  • Mental Health and Preparation for Working in Forensics
  • What It's Like Working in Forensics
  • Employment: Job Titles, Job Requirements, and Starting Salary in Forensic Science

​

Hi everyone! Im about to graduate with a BA in biology and forensic science. Becoming discouraged about not being able to get a job without a masters degree because of several stuck up people telling me so. Any encouragement about being able to get a job as a CSI without a masters degree would be wonderful. Also would like to hear job exploring stories about your experiences after college and etc. Ive been using crime scene investigator.net for most of the job hunt.

Or in a setting where the ones that cause the torture are the ones responsible for handling the evidence related to it

I recently discovered on land I own in NY state that there's a small cemetery deep in the woods. The headstones are mostly mid-19th Century, roughly 1830-1890. Ages of the deceased range from people in their 70s to infants.

Though I have no intention of desecrated the burial grounds, I do wonder what one would find down there. I suspect the people were buried in simple coffins, as they might have been farmers or laborers. The wood must long ago have disintegrated.

What kind of condition would the remains likely be in after 175 years in the varied climate of New York State?

Simple as the title. I’m 18, turn 19 in a few months, and I’m looking for some way to actually get involved in the field. There’s a career fair coming up, so I’m planning on looking there for opportunities too, but what kind of job experience can you get when you’ve only done 2 semesters in college?

I (17F) need to do job-shadowing for a life orientation project in a few months, and I’ve been 100% positive that I’d like to be a crime scene investigator for years.

I’m just curious what the daily routine is, just to be prepared - Do you spend time in a lab and how often ; When and how often do you investigate crime scenes in a day ; Are your colleagues negatively affected by the job and does it often affect your performance ; Is majority of the day spent on a computer etc etc.

Any kind of insight or detail would help a lot, thanks.

EDIT: yes, it is. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/76761

This is for a novel I'm writing. The blood sample is from an article of clothing that was soaked through about a week before it was found and which dried somewhere outdoors. Thanks :)

Hello all,

My question is what the storage requirements are for a blood sample storage in regards to BAC testing. Let's say the tube is a BD Vacutainer Grey Top with sodium fluoride and Potassium Oxalate.

Does it need to be refrigerated?

Is it ok to use a freight service like Fedex or UPS to ship it?

If it was subject to temperatures exceeding 75f what would happen?

In this fictional scenario let's say it is unrefrigerated for a minimum of 7-9 days.

If you're able to cite a relevant source as well that would be awesome.

Thanks for any answers!

I was doing a history paper and came across this article, is steam drying a body even possible? Tried searching it up with zero results

(Also not sure what flair to use. I browse this subreddit for my Ass. degree and I'm still not sure)

Hi, hope fiction questions are okay to ask here. I'm writing a short story mystery and my detectives need to prove that the death of a bicyclist was intentionally done by someone hanging something out a window and hitting him with it in the face versus an accidental hit and run. What would be some major differences? I can only really find resources on what hit and runs look like for pedestrians, too, so if y'all have some book or other resource recommendations for this topic as well, that'd be great.

Welcome to our weekly discussion thread about forensic science!

Forensic Scientists and Professionals! What's going on this week?

Use any of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What do you do?
• What kind of work are you doing?
• Are you doing any new kinds of analyses?
• What is your work week like?
• Do you have crazy stories from the field/lab? Tell us!

Remember! Don't reveal identifying info on decedents or victims. Change names or use nicknames if you must.

Students! How's school?

Use any one of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What degree are you pursuing?
• What are you learning about?
• Have you learned something new and/or exciting?
• Are you involved in research?
• Is there anything about the field you'd like to know?

Remember! Don't ask us to do your homework or assignments for you. We did the work and you have to do it too.

If you are asking for education or employment advice, please read our subreddit guide first and then look at our resources in the sidebar. If what we have doesn't address your needs, you can ask us a question here! Let us know where you are and which country or countries you're considering for school.

Don't know where to start when it comes to schools, programs, or degrees? Take a look at our subreddit wiki for a good rundown of what you should look out for.

Confused by all the job titles, requirements, and worried about things like starting salary? Please take a look at this collection of posts from /u/Cdub919, one of our verified forensics members.

Have questions for someone working in the field? Take a look at our list of verified forensics professionals. They are frequently tagged in comments and posts when mods or other community members see that their expertise is needed. You might reach out to them in a private message or chat if you need their help. Please be respectful of their time and advice and don't harass anybody for a response.

​

Hello, to anyone working in New York City's OCME, specifically autopsy techs, quick question; how long does training (including on the job training) take? How long before a recently hired employee actually sees a decedent? Asking for a paper I'm writing. Cheers and thanks!

Why couldn't I find his Bluetooth address on the iPhone? Can anyone tell me where the Bluetooth address is?

hello everyone! im set to graduate with a master's degree in forensic science this may, and after that ill be in the job world. i've recently gotten an interview for a position as a laboratory technician in a forensic biology section, and it'll be my first interview in this whole process. i'm just wondering what types of information they'll ask me about, what i should review before going into it, and what i should do if (god forbid) there's a question they ask that i'm not confident in or don't know the answer to. the posting includes the duties as assisting forensic scientists in standard lab procedures, operating and maintaining the laboratory equipment and supplies, and assisting in compliance efforts with laboratory protocols and accreditation guidelines. it is a job in the united states.

​

thank you! all the help will be appreciated as i tend to be a nervous individual in interviews, and this is a job i'm very interested in so i want to do well.

I want to include the cold case of Geraldine Holland in an upcoming blogpost and would like to include her photo. I have submitted a FOIA request for her case files, (no word on this yet) found her death certificate & obituary on Ancestry.com. Contacted Longwood University to ask for corroboration of a photo of Geraldine Holland in their 1974 yearbook. (They respond that not enough information existed to confirm.) Contacted the library in Nottoway County, Virginia to help me track down a yearbook photo. We couldn’t find one. Looked on FindaGrave but can’t find her. I hate that she has seemingly slipped away into oblivion. Anybody have any more tips for me?? Thanks all.

Welcome to our weekly general discussion thread!

Feel free to chat with your fellow forensically-minded redditors about anything! Introduce yourself, show us pictures of your cat, complain about your kids, lament about exams/work, tell us what you're eating today... whatever you want!

Here are a few resources that might answer your questions:

A subreddit wiki with links and resources to education and employment matters, archived discussions on more intermediate topics in education and employment, what kind of major you need, what degree programs are good, etc.

• The subreddit Guide - Consider this an FAQ about our community and our field. Look here for basic education and employment questions/answers you might have. Didn't find what you were looking for? Please post in our weekly scheduled posts or to the subreddit. Note: please do use a desktop browser to view all features.
• List of verified forensics professionals
• Subreddit collections (please view on desktop browsers) on the following topics:
  • Education and Employment
  • Mental Health and Preparation for Working in Forensics
  • What It's Like Working in Forensics
  • Employment: Job Titles, Job Requirements, and Starting Salary in Forensic Science

​

What is the function of Insights, and does it include the premium phone unlocking function?

And where can I purchase these two services?

I suspect someone broke into my car and put something in it to harm me. How do I get any public surveillance footage that may have caught it.

I live in Calgary Canada

Hello!

Would love recommendations for everyone’s favorite brushes/powders for latent processing. My lab gave us brushes to use but they’re on their last legs. Would also love specific powder recommendations as I’ve heard our black powder is “worse” than other agencies (from people that have worked elsewhere).

Thanks!

My elderly father was scammed out of a lot of money a few days ago. It was a classic scam that scumbags run on seniors.- they called him, gave him a fake "relative needing bail money" story and he went right to the bank, got some cash and gave it to them.. I printed my father's phone records and gave it to the sheriff's department. Question is- I'm sure the numbers are from a burner phone or it's a spoofed number. Does law enforcement have a way to figure out who called him?

Hi everyone,

Im writing my dissertation from a digital forensics perspective about a search warrant and how other forensic and policing fields feel about the warrant as it stands. An example of this would be "do you feel the warrant is strong enough" in its current state. I was wondering if anyone here would fill out my survey so i can use it in my dissertation

*the survey IS anonymous beside creating a 6 char pin*

this is the link below

https://forms.office.com/r/axLFjmV7Bu

if this post breaches any policies then do please remove it and i apologize.

(this is mainly UK based but im happy for opinions from across the water!)

​

id really appreciate any inputs anyone gives and i look forward to seeing everyone's responses!

If properly stored, how long is a blood sample viable? Is dried blood testable in this situation? Are the samples usually disposed of after a certain amount of time if no one preserves them or do they keep them indefinitely?

Not a professional and have nothing to do with the field, I’m just curious on the subject because I have a family member who is involved with a legal case and they are trying to find dried blood from over 5 years ago when the original specimens were not kept. Not seeking legal advice of any kind, just trying to find information. Thank you

Welcome to our weekly discussion thread about forensic science!

Forensic Scientists and Professionals! What's going on this week?

Use any of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What do you do?
• What kind of work are you doing?
• Are you doing any new kinds of analyses?
• What is your work week like?
• Do you have crazy stories from the field/lab? Tell us!

Remember! Don't reveal identifying info on decedents or victims. Change names or use nicknames if you must.

Students! How's school?

Use any one of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What degree are you pursuing?
• What are you learning about?
• Have you learned something new and/or exciting?
• Are you involved in research?
• Is there anything about the field you'd like to know?

Remember! Don't ask us to do your homework or assignments for you. We did the work and you have to do it too.

If you are asking for education or employment advice, please read our subreddit guide first and then look at our resources in the sidebar. If what we have doesn't address your needs, you can ask us a question here! Let us know where you are and which country or countries you're considering for school.

Don't know where to start when it comes to schools, programs, or degrees? Take a look at our subreddit wiki for a good rundown of what you should look out for.

Confused by all the job titles, requirements, and worried about things like starting salary? Please take a look at this collection of posts from /u/Cdub919, one of our verified forensics members.

Have questions for someone working in the field? Take a look at our list of verified forensics professionals. They are frequently tagged in comments and posts when mods or other community members see that their expertise is needed. You might reach out to them in a private message or chat if you need their help. Please be respectful of their time and advice and don't harass anybody for a response.

​

Hey guys! Right now in my lab we are trying to validate the QiaCube Connect.. My consensus is that it really just is useless for what we are using it for. Essentially, all that it would be used for is differentials. Has anyone had any success or tips for making it run efficiently? Or do you manually still do your differentials?

We have had so many errors all day just doing water runs, the first run we did it literally dropped three tips. After switching the tips and greasing it a little bit, it worked significantly better. However, is it even worth it?

Thanks for any advice or information!

There is a position listing in my city for a state professional trainee as a forensic scientist and I noticed that the position requires a bachelor’s degree. I’m currently a senior and I ahve one more class until I graduate and I’m taking it over the summer. I was little behind starting off because most people in my major come in with dual enrollment credit, but I did not.

I wanted to know if I could still apply to the position since I’m graduating very soon. Would they give me a tentative start date for my training until I graduate?

I’m getting my degree in neuroscience and I have a minor in chemistry. My gpa is a 3.8 and I have research experience in a wet lab and a public health lab as well as publication and possibly another (maybe two) in the works. I’m also graduating in a science and technology honors program. I believe I have a good foundation for them to be able to build a competent worker out of me (if not please let me know what you think).

I sent an email to the office basically saying the same thing as this post just not as long winded, more concise, and more professional but they haven’t responded yet.

Any advice or input is welcome and would be greatly appreciate!

Thank you!

Edit: for a little more information I live in Birmingham, AL & I attend The University of Alabama at Birmingham. I’ve been working as a drug tester at an inpatient rehab facility so I have some experience with toxicology and analyzing and organizing drug testing results.

This relates to a true crime case and possible false conviction from the 1980s I recently listened to this podcast series about and wanted to ask the professionals about one detail: in a situation where areas that blood was not visible (potentially due to be cleaned up) but they tested positive for the presence of blood via both luminol testing and via phenolphthalein, is that combined generally considered to be highly indicative of the previous presence of blood (assuming testing was done correctly)?