With the popularity of Crime Scene Investigation, Law and Order, and other investigation and criminal justice shows, forensic science has undergone a renaissance in recent years. Up until recently, being a forensic expert was not exactly the most glamorous of careers. Forensic cases were difficult, tedious, and uninteresting to the average person. What all of these criminal justice shows have done is to bring the forensic sciences so that public in all of their fascinating, intricate, and varied glory.
I first got into forensic science in college. I actually was a liberal arts major, and I had no plans to start a degree in law enforcement, but I thought I would take a class in forensic science as a way to get one of my requirements out of the way. Once I started taking the class, however, I was immediately fascinated. The subject matter was so interesting, and I had never taken a class to challenge my mind in quite that way. Trying to figure out from scanty physical evidence what happened and who is to blame really appeals to my sense of adventure and my enjoyment of puzzles. We even got to meet some forensic scientists in the class and interview them about their job. They were all geeky, interesting folks who simply loved solving riddles. Taking that love into the real world really allow them to do something fun and make a difference.
Of course, forensic science is not all glamor and glory. As a matter of fact, much of it is grueling, and often repetitive work. Running tests looks so easy and so cool in the shows, but once you have done a few of them it is not much fun. In truth, a forensic scientist has to do a lot of repetitive laboratory work that can take hours and hours.
Nonetheless, the payoffs are great in the end. First of all, you make a lot of money as a forensics expert. Even the starting salary is pretty decent. Second of all, you really do get to make a difference by doing forensic science. It can take months before your duties include making decisions and giving testimony that can affect lives, but once you get to that point you understand how important your job is. Plus, it is a great way for eggheads like me to get involved in a law enforcement career. You don’t have to be around the streets, chasing bad guys down. Instead, you can be in the back room doing the real work of a criminal investigation.
