What Does a Crime Scene Technician Do?

What exactly is it that crime scene technicians do? Typically, crime scene technicians are among the first responders to a crime scene, and their duties can include anything from taking photographs of the scene, collecting evidence, and documenting their findings to help solve a crime.

Duties of a Crime Scene (CSI) Technician

Although much of a crime scene technician’s time is spent on site, a bigger chunk of their time is spent in crime labs, police departments, and the medical examiner’s office processing evidence left behind at the crime scene. Evidence can include body fluids, fibers, weapons, fingerprints, and other materials that can help investigators identify potential suspects and determine a possible timeline.

Once evidence is collected and analyzed, technicians must then explain their results in written reports or in orally courtroom appearances. As a result, “The ability to communicate complicated scientific or technical material to those without a science or technical background is a necessary skill,” according to Chron.

What crime scene technicians do not do:

A common misconception is that crime scene technicians are also responsible for cleaning up the scene once the evidence has been collected. The fact is, although crime scene technicians go through extensive training, they are not trained in proper biohazard cleaning methods, and do not have the required equipment to tackle such a task.

Call the Crime Scene Technicians at Aftermath

Cleaning up the blood and other potential biohazards left at a crime scene is most commonly left to the family of the deceased, or to the property or business owner where the crime took place. For most, cleaning up after the death or traumatic injury of a loved one or friend is an unthinkable task that requires a great deal of emotional strength.

Additionally, cleaning up blood and other potentially infectious materials (PIM) can pose significant health and safety risks if not handled properly. As a result, it is recommended that crime scene cleanup is handled by a professional crime scene cleanup company.

Find Crime Scene Technicians Near You

Unlike crime scene technicians, who often work side by side with members of law enforcement, crime scene cleaners enter a scene after it has been processed, with the goal of removing biohazardous material and sanitizing the site. They are not considered to be members of law enforcement and they do not collect, analyze, or document evidence.

Aftermath is an industry leader in crime scene cleanup with offices across the United States. Since we are a nationwide company, we have standardized practices that are built on meeting the strictest local regulations regarding licensing, insurance, training, and credentials. If you would like more information regarding careers in crime scene cleanup, read through this blog post.

———-

Source:

Chron: http://work.chron.com/crime-scene-technician-job-responsibilities-14254.html