Graduate from high school or earn your GED. You will not be admitted to college if you do not have at the very least a GED. Register for and take the necessary admittance test for college such as the SAT or ACT.
Complete the application process for the college of your choice. Gain admission and earn a bachelor's degree in forensics. You may choose other programs of study, such as criminology or criminal justice; however, you should formulate a course of study that concentrates on forensics. Remember that the better you perform in college, the more decorated your résumé will be. This is always a big plus.
Seek out opportunities to shadow criminal investigators who are working on child offender cases while still enrolled in college. Though they cannot share much information with you about their cases, you may be able to go on a ride-along or volunteer. These experiences can be added to your résumé if you do them on a regular basis, and you could possibly make some connections within the department.
Keep in mind that a master's degree will increase your value to a police department or a state or federal bureau of investigations. You will earn a higher salary as well. If you go straight into your master's without taking a break from school and continue taking 12 hours per semester, you may be able to complete your master's degree in one academic year.
Obtain a position with a police department as a police officer. Complete police academy training, and during your time as a police officer, seize any opportunities that allow you to aid in the processing of crime scenes.
Attend workshops and seminars given around the nation regarding various aspects of law enforcement. You will encounter new information that will help you improve your job performance and knowledge of how to handle certain situations. These activities are considered to be professional development and may be placed on a résumé.
Become knowledgeable about law enforcement, the legal system as well as current laws, which is information that should mostly be obtained during your time as a law enforcement officer.
Apply for a crime scene investigator position and complete advanced training at an academy, which you will be sent to by your department. You will then complete an apprenticeship where you will work in conjunction with a fully sworn investigator. You, too, will then become a sworn investigator.