Crime scene investigation requires a law enforcement professional who is trained to analyze the scene of a crime, collect evidence, process any evidence found and reports it to law enforcement officials. The requirements to be a crime scene investigator vary widely, depending on the organization, such as local police or FBI.
A student in crime scene investigator courses will learn hands-on approaches on how to respond to a crime scene, along with how to thoroughly study the scene, identifying elements of what occurred there, analyzing and correctly collecting evidence of the crime, and how to prepare reports of their findings. Students can take courses as part of an associate's or bachelor's degree program in criminal justice, depending on the college or university attended.
Criminal justice degrees with courses in crime scene investigation can be found at colleges and universities across the United States. Keiser University of Florida and Phoenix College of Arizona both offer crime scene investigation programs, as well as Albany State University in Georgia. The student should contact their school of choice for more information on whether a criminal justice degree with crime scene investigator courses is offered.
While there are no prerequisites for a criminal justice degree, prospective students looking to get into the field of crime scene investigation or criminal justice may benefit from taking certain high school or other college classes, such as psychology, political science and international relations. For those already in law enforcement, the experience gained through their work will benefit them greatly in completing their criminal justice degree and crime scene investigator courses.