Are you interested in pursuing a crime scene investigation career? This is certainly a growth field that promises top earnings and an exciting environment. However, CSI work is not for everyone…
Crime scenes are disturbing, so CSI work is only for people with a strong constitution and a desire to see justice done. For individuals who can objectively view a crime scene and discover its evidence, there is a sense of satisfaction knowing that one is making a big difference in the world in providing justice for victims.
This post covers a career in CSI.
Entering Into a Crime Scene Investigation Career
In order to get started in CSI work, you must usually be an active-duty police officer, a law enforcement or intelligence officer or a military police officer. The overwhelming majority of people working in this vocation fall into one of these career paths.
CSI work as a civilian consultant is also possible, but is a path more difficult to achieve unless you have a background in one of the above vocations. Many retired police, law enforcement and military enter the private sector world of CSI after their active duty days have finished.
Pure civilians who work in CSI are fewer in number, but equally important. Most of these people will also work for a law enforcement or governmental agency, although not as officers. Most are forensic scientists, medical examiners, explosives experts, specialists in accident reconstruction, engineers or other highly-specific niche profession.
We already shared an entire post covering the best forms of training for crime scene investigation.
CSI Career Aptitudes
CSI work is ideal for people who truly want justice in the world. A crime scene can seem so random and chaotic, but an expert can find lots of evidence that can be used to identify and prosecute the perpetrator of the criminal act. Therefore, CSI operatives should have a strong moral compass and a never-ending desire to find the truth of an occurrence.
CSI workers must be detail-oriented, accountable, objective in POV, curious and compassionate. They must have reverence for victims and disdain for perpetrators. Crime scene investigation tends to leave powerful lingering memories of case work. Therefore, all CSI workers should be capable of dealing with powerful psychoemotional issues on a daily basis for the greater good of society.
Crime Scene Investigation Career Guidance
People who work in CSI in the governmental sector can choose to stay in a job for a long time or stop working in an official capacity when they decide to quit active duty. Pay in most governmental positions is acceptable, but not great, while the bureaucracy is always present. It is for these reasons that many CSI professionals choose to pursue a private sector career, often as a civilian consultant to the very same agency they used to work for in an official capacity.
It is not uncommon to see professional investigators work many CSI cases. Remember that some of the best private eyes are former police and military personnel, so they already have the skills, connections and access necessary to succeed.
If you are a detective with a yearning to work in CSI, go for it! Make sure that you have all the skills and experience you will need to do a great job and if not, be sure to get this training before starting work.