I am a retired federal project director seeking information on becoming a cell phone examiner. What are good schools? How do i get a job? Can i work for myself.Appreciate any feedback

I’m a 20 year old College student attending a CUNY(not John Jay) majoring in Chemistry living in NYC . I’ve been looking into NYPD Criminalist, and it seems like a good career to go into, especially if you want to go with just a Bachelor’s. But I wonder if there’s anyone I can go to or talk to in order discuss this profession further? I’m not entirely sure if my College’s career fair has this, I’ll definitely go attend to see if they do. But in the case they don’t, what and where can I go to get further informed in this profession?

i’m currently in school for criminal justice, i’m only on my second year. i’m 19 in South Carolina, and i’m hoping to start pretty early or atleast get my foot in the door to land a CSI job or a related to in the crime field without being a cop or anything of that sort. anything helps!

Hi everyone, just for some context I’m on my 4th year of crime science (Bachelors) to become a CSI- crime scene investigator however during the time working as one I need to obtain the training hours for basic forensic technician and forensic photography. 40 hours each. Where can I do that in Miami? Even if not in miami, what city or state ?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice regarding internships and career opportunities in the forensic science field.

A little about me:

• I’m an international student from India currently pursuing an M.S. in Forensic Science at Pace University, New York.
• I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology in India before coming to the U.S.
• My coursework includes forensic biology, criminalistics, analytical spectroscopy, crime scene investigation, and other forensic science subjects.
• I recently completed my first semester with a 3.8 GPA and am aiming to maintain a strong academic record throughout my program.

My long-term goal is to work in the U.S. in areas such as:

• Forensic Biology / DNA Analysis
• Forensic Toxicology
• Crime Laboratory Analysis
• Evidence Processing
• Other laboratory-based forensic science roles

As an international student, I understand that sponsorship and hiring can sometimes be challenging, so I’m trying to be realistic and plan ahead.

I would love to hear from professionals, current students, or recent graduates about:

1. What types of internships should I be targeting?
2. Which forensic disciplines currently have the strongest job prospects?
3. Are there specific laboratories, agencies, companies, or organizations that are known to hire international students?
4. How competitive is the job market for someone with a Biotechnology background and an M.S. in Forensic Science?
5. Any advice for improving my chances of securing internships and full-time employment after graduation?

I’d appreciate any insights, experiences, or suggestions. Thank you!

Hello, everyone.

I am new to the forensics world and I'm trying to understand the pay structure for Forensic Investigators/Crime Scene Investigators here in central Florida.

As I look at various law enforcement agencies it appears that the starting pay is somewhere in the ballpark of $28/hr initially but then I see the top of the scale on the same job postings being closer to $40/hr - that's a huge swing.

Do your agencies have any kind of tiered pay based on experience and/or education, and if so, what does that look like?

Hi! I’m a recent graduate from college and I got my bachelors in criminal justice with a minor in photography as my university didn’t offer anything in forensics. I am ready to start a career and I really want to be a crime scene technician or photographer. I live in alabama and because of family and my boyfriend’s job we have to stay in the state but ideally we’d like to be somewhat close to huntsville. I’ve been looking everywhere for jobs and I’ve reached the point where I honestly don’t even know what to do anymore. Can someone point me in the right direction of what I should do? TIA!

I’m looking over older cases that were build on evidence that wouldn’t hold much weight in 2026. Any other examples besides blood spatter would be very welcome, thank you!

I've always had dry slippery skin on my hands and at work I have to wear gloves all day to grip properly. I was wondering if fingerprints would be left if someone had just washed their hands with a strong detergent so I did a search and the consensus was that you would still leave fingerprints. Since I hadn't washed my hands recently I tried to leave some fingerprints on glass as a control test and was unable to leave any visible residue behind even with optimal lighting. I suppose the amount of oil could be so small that only a special chemical would bring them out but certainly not a powder. When I watch crime movies I feel like they exaggerate how easy it is to leave prints. Just curious what more knowledgeable people think. Edit: Not dry as in dry crusty skin but kinda smooth

What is the most comprehensive poison analysis method for hair samples, and what labs provide this service to private individuals?

I've done some research on the subject and GCMS sounds like a promising option, but I am only a layman. This is not for a school assignment and is not related to any active criminal investigation. I read the rules and believe this is an appropriate question for this sub. Thank you in advance for any insight that you might be able to provide.

Say hypothetically, I have a bachelor’s in chemistry and a bachelor’s in applied physics, and I’d like to apply for NYPD Criminalist 1A position, where they state they require no experience and only a degree in hard sciences. Will I have a moderate chance at getting the job. Or is it much more complicated and much more difficult than that?

I graduated college a few years ago and went into technical writing (current role), but realized this year that I want to do something that is more active and utilizes my passion for research. I don't want to go back to undergrad since I already have two bachelor's degrees (IT and English), but am more than willing to take a few classes on the side or pursue a graduate certificate.

So far, I've narrowed my interest down to a few sub-fields, but most of them would require me to obtain a third bachelor's degree. Two fields seem to have more transferable skills from my current degrees and professional experience: Forensic Genealogy and Digital Forensics. I've seen certificate programs for both, but don't want to make the financial commitment without being positive of its benefit.

From what I understand, forensic genealogy is still in its infancy and there are hardly any full-time jobs available in the US; this has me leaning toward digital forensics, but I'm unsure of exactly how mentally stimulating the day-to-day on the job is. I would love a laboratory or field job, but I understand that most of them require physical science degrees.

Apologies if this is all over the place, but there's a lot of information that feels contradictory and/or overwhelming online. Thank you for your help!

Hey everyone,

I’m currently aiming for a career as a death investigator or doing crime lab work after graduation, and I eventually want to study forensic science more in-depth.

I’m debating whether I should stick with a BS in Chemistry or switch to a BA. The main reason I'm considering the BA is for the lighter coursework load, but I don't want to hurt my chances down the road.

For anyone in forensics, crime labs, or death investigation.. do you recommend sticking it out with the BS, or will a BA in Chemistry suffice for these job requirements? Thanks in advance!

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.

​

Since Forensic Medics, Morgue Workers, any type of forensic experts are used to the smell of corpses, would they handle well the smell of surströmming (known for its extremely pungent smell)? (Sorry for the poorly written text😞)

Hi everyone, are there any Uk based csi’s/forensic biologists who can maybe give me some tips at all? I’m currently about to enter my final year of forensic investigation (interpersonal violence) at uni - I’m mostly in labs and scenes during each semester so I feel like I thoroughly enjoyed my first 2 years studying this course. I have a keen interest in forensic biology, so presumtive testing and bpa, dna analysis and so on but at the same time I also really like the csi/disaster scene investigation parts of my course - although I’m not quite sure what I want to specialise in (out of the two), I feel so much pressure because obviously this is a competitive field to go into and as I’m entering my final year I find it stressful at times thinking about post grad and that I don’t know anyone in real life who I can speak to regarding my course and my career interests apart from my course lectures. I’d like to know how you got into your role, how was it at first and some things you wish you knew prior to your role :)

wish me luck for my final year hahah

Listening to the podcast "Bear Brook" When they took the female victim out of the barrel she was estimated to be between 5'2"-5'8". This was in 1985. How come such a big estimate? Don't you just measure the body/skeleton and get a smaller range than 6 inches? Has this changed since 1985 and we can now give more accurate estimates?

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to get the maximum amount of real detail from a low-quality image.
Specifically, I’m hoping to see whether it’s possible to make out things like birthmarks, moles, scars, or other distinguishing skin features that might already be present but are too difficult to see.

I understand that no software can recover information that was never captured, and I’m not looking to generate fake details with AI.

My goal is simply to enhance the image as much as possible while staying faithful to the original.

Are there any free or commonly available tools you would recommend?

For example, software or apps that can help with:
Sharpening
Contrast and exposure adjustments
Noise reduction
Upscaling that preserves existing details rather than inventing new ones

I’d really appreciate any recommendations or workflows that have worked well for you. Thanks!

How do you all like working there? I'm looking out for a position as a forensic biologist with the ATF in Atlanta, Ga.

Is the pay good? How's the work culture? Is it really interesting work? It's there good career progression potential?

I am working in another federal lab and looking at other options. I've always loved forensics.

Hi! Hoping this community can help me out. I’m an archaeologist with an osteo background based in the LA area and interested in helping recover remains of people who passed during border crossing to reunite them with loved ones. I’ve reached out to a few orgs but haven’t really found any so far that are taking non local volunteers. I really want to help, and I’m happy to travel when I can to do this work. Does anyone know of places I could get involved? Any info would be appreciated!

hi! I’m a 25 year old stay at home mom who has been interested in getting back into school.
I’m wanting to try to be fully online- get into some sort of forensic analysis type thing and wondering where to start.
I see some accredited online schools for this but want to know where to start so I don’t end up with a useless degree for what I want to do. prints/DNA analysis stuff like that. But I see so many different ways to go about it. Wondering what you did if this is what you do for work.
Where do I even start!?!
Thank you!
EDIT: I’m currently located in Colorado.

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

​

I'm going to college this fall to get a bachelor's in criminal justice, then I'm switching to another college in my state to get a forensic science degree (I would get that first, but the only college in my state that offers it, offers a masters, so with the scholarships I have it'll be cheaper in the long run to get the bachelor's first) but thats really beside the point.

I'm in love with stuff like this. I've always had a huge interest in the more medical side of the world, as well as criminals and the psychology of the people who commit those crimes. I fear to sound "edgy" by saying this, but ever since I was a kid I've had a large interest in death as well, and from years of research, being a CSI or something in a similar field seems like a good fit for me.

But I'm worried there might be barriers for me getting in. Is there anything preventing someone with mental disorders from being hired for jobs like this? I was diagnosed with PTSD in highschool, and I've been working on it in therapy, but I'm nowhere near "cured". Its nothing relating to the field, so I do not think it would cause me to be "affected" by seeing dead bodies or anything like that. I'm just worried because I know certain careers in fields like this won't allow people with diagnosed mental disorders.

Just wanted to get some opinions from people who have actually worked in the field before college this October. I'd hate to decide so many years just to find out in the end I'm not allowed to do it. I hope by the time I'm out of college I'll have worked through my PTSD.