Hi, I love forensic science and all the CSI shows, but I was wondering how close the shows (especially csi mimia since it i the one I know best) are to reality. I have to choose my first job soon and would like to work in a crime lab, but I don't want to have gotten a false idea of what the joob really is. I know it will be different, with much less drmaa and a lot more unsolved cases, but are the basis the same?
Some of this has been discussed in the Forensics Forum of this message board, but here are a few items previously mentioned. While some cities CSIs are also police officers, usually the CSIs are a separate branch that process the evidence and do not interrogate suspects. That is left to the detectives. Since the fictional shows tell a story in about 45 minutes (with commercials and credits filling the rest of the hour), they cut corners. The lab tests could take days or weeks instead of hours. And finally, your coworkers are not always so beautiful with such revealing outfits. Some departments require either masks over the eyes and mouth, or full body suits to prevent your own hair, skin, and saliva contaminating the crime scene.
Also, real life CSIs aren't jacks of all trades, like on the show. They work in one department. They also do much of their work on much more routine stuff- and court is a big part of the job. At our state crime lab, the employees spend 3 days of the week in the lab, 2 in court.
And the fact that lab scenes are so overdone and glamourized in the shows. In real life the labs are grey-ish and stuff. low budget. Most things you see on csi does excist but the depertments budget isn't there! You do a lot more the old fashioned way which usually take longer and are somewhat boring sometimes and somethimes it makes it a whole lot more fun too. It depends on what you're doing! You don;t have to be afraid of all the dangerous chemicals with chemistry or when doing biology don't be afraid to work with deseases. It is usually okay when you've studied the cleaning protocol, the dangers of the chemicals and stuff but still...! Also if you're an animal lover biology seems great until there is a dead one on your table... Ofcourse you can choose not to work with them in your job but most biology educations requires them in the classes and stuff! I've seen a lot of drop outs because of these aspects! I still like it though! Even I had to drop out because my lack of chemistry knowledge. It became to hard. I'm still reading my very thick biology and chemistry books from school. I miss the lab work though but I am going to do a study in computional biology so I will be back in the lab in a few years :lol: My goal was/is not to be a forensic criminalist though! But I could end up in a department like it hehe! :lol:
also, i heard being a CSI and a forensic scientist are totally differnt jobs...the CSIs go to the crime scene and collect evidence but the forensic scientists stay in the lab. they arent both like in the show. it sucks because i want to be a forensic scientist and CSI.
I agree with what's been said, if you want to know more, either visit the Forensics forum or there are lots of books about it. my favorite is Crime Scene by Larry Ragle, who was a forensic scientist in Orange County. Hope it helps!
Thanks, from what it seems, there are a lot of differences between the show and real life, but the essence seems the same, thanks a lot
My CSI's are also officers and don't necessarily have a background in science. They receive additional training in forensics once they are hired for the positions, usually through the FBI academy. We do, however, have civilians on staff that are scientists, and most of our evidence is sent out to a state facility for testing. And it takes FOREVER to get information back. We have open cases dating back years that are waiting for forensics to come back. I get a little annoyed with the show at times as I would never have a CSI (civilian that is) accompany me to interrogate a potential suspect or while out doing an investigation.
In real life, CSI are far more different in the show. Cases go through months through years before it is solved, compared it with the show. Before I got hooked up on CSI, I used to watch crime night in discovery channel, well it took them years solve a case. Its kind of funny that watching csi made me think of becoming a forensic nurse, then it made me realize that what I see from the show it not quite similar in reality. But then again, watching it is like reviewing and applying from what I have learned in Medical school. The dead people are way too soft, but I can tell yet anything about it since I have not handled a case with an expired client.
Can CSI's be civilians? I didn't know that. I guess in England it is different since forensics aren't so developped. I thought that they belonged to a special police department. I guess I'm probably getting mixed up with CSIs, the guys who process the scene, and the analysts. But still I thouhgt to process evidence, you had to belong to the police
I would say the techs are all civilians- at least in my state they are. The technicians have to have at least bachelor's in a science field.
pizzapie is right...techs (or the people who 'live' in the labs) are civilians who are employed by the state judicial system. Our 'Crime Scene Investigators' to use the technical term are all detectives, with badges and guns, and the power to arrest/apprehend suspects as well as interrogate. We collect evidence and analyze scenes, but the "lab rats" do all the processing to give us the definitive answers and proof we need to arrest/build a case for the District Attorney.
Iv watched the show-The Real CSIs and it seems the same bar the whole speed issue. Iv done loads of research into the whole is reality and TV the same as I really want to be a forensic scientist when I graduate
Well, all I can say is I wish MY scene analysts were as good looking as the ones on tv...it would make the job a lot nicer each day!
So basically you've got the police officers that process the scene, and the analysts-who are civilians- analyse the evidence, then give the information back to the officers who then proceed with the inquiry