| Introduction: | | | | thread. Photography CLtechnicians take photos of |
| Crime lab technicians, otherwise known as police | | | | the crime scenes while polygraph technicians are |
| science technicians or forensic science technicians, are | | | | responsible for giving lie detector tests and |
| part of the process of solving crimes. They are very | | | | interpreting the results. |
| much familiar to using scientific laboratory methods to | | | | CL technicians use different equipment including |
| study and analyze the evidences gathered from the | | | | infrared photography, microscopes, x-ray machines, |
| crime scenes. Their findings are often used to | | | | ultraviolet light, and spectrographs. Thus, most crime |
| determine the innocence of falsely accused or the | | | | lab technicians know how to use almost all the tools |
| guilt of the criminals. CL technicians work side by side | | | | in the lab. |
| with local and state police officers and with Federal | | | | Educational Requirement: |
| Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents in the US or its | | | | Many crime laboratories and agencies now require |
| equivalent in other countries. | | | | anyone who wishes to have a career as a CL |
| Job Description: | | | | technician to complete a bachelor's degree in crime |
| CL technicians usually have specializations. Ballistic CL | | | | technology or forensic science, which cover |
| technicians are responsible for examining bullets and | | | | investigative photography, crime detection, criminal |
| matching them to guns. Physical and chemical analysis | | | | investigation and evidence, fingerprint science, court |
| technicians are responsible for examining a piece of | | | | procedures, and criminal law. There are many |
| glass from the victim's clothes or a chip of paint from | | | | well-regarded programs in this field; however, the |
| a car. They also examine soil, hair, blood, biological | | | | trend is geared to more advanced study courses. |
| tissues, body fluids, narcotics, and poisons. Some | | | | Crime Lab Technician Salaries: |
| specialize in DNA analysis. Document CL technicians | | | | If you are just getting started out on your career as |
| analyze blackmail notes, anonymous letters, and | | | | a crime lab technician, you can receive an annual |
| handwriting, as the paper used in writing the letter. | | | | salary of around $30,000 to $40,000. Those with |
| Instruments CL technicians are responsible for | | | | many years of experience in crime lab technician jobs |
| matching the marks found on the victims to the tools | | | | have an average annual salary $65,000, so |
| suspected to have been used by the suspect. | | | | experience certainly creates a big different in salary |
| Fingerprints crime lab technicians are responsible for | | | | for a crime lab technician career. |
| analyzing fingerprints and footprints, as well as tire | | | | |