| If you are an avid fan of the CSI TV shows, you may | | | | seek work as an apprentice in your particular area that |
| have heard of terms such as criminalists and | | | | you like. For instance, if you want to become an |
| wondered what they are and what they do. | | | | expert in firearms, it is best to get postgraduate |
| In this article, I will attempt to define what a criminalist is | | | | education in the field and then apply for a job. If you |
| and explain what their job description entails. | | | | are not much into getting a higher level education, the |
| The term criminalist is a modernized umbrella term that | | | | other alternative is to work in the firearms department |
| encompasses workers in many aspects in forensics | | | | of a crime lab for at least one to two years. After |
| such as biology, botany, entomology, or one of the | | | | gaining experience in the forensics firearms lab, only |
| laboratory sciences such as chemistry. Nowadays, | | | | then can you obtain a job as a firearms examiner. |
| many colleges and universities offer courses in | | | | Please note that somebody with the higher level |
| forensic science. Students of forensic science | | | | college education combined with his on-the-job |
| curriculums undergo coursework in biology, chemistry, | | | | experience attracts more attention on the part of the |
| microbiology, physics, mathematics, pharmacology, and | | | | employer than somebody with only a bachelor's |
| many other scientific areas. Upon receipt of your | | | | degree and the same amount of on-the-job |
| degree, you can go out and apply for a job in any | | | | experience. |
| forensics lab. It is not required that you have an | | | | Employers of forensics laboratories value a college |
| advanced degree to obtain a job of a basic criminalist | | | | education on the part of the applicant. They view the |
| since you get most of your knowledge and skills while | | | | college graduate as someone who is more credible to |
| working on the job. | | | | give testimony on the witness stand when he reports |
| If you so choose to specialize in a specific area, you | | | | his findings to a judge and jury and helps bring an |
| need to take classes in postgraduate education or | | | | offender to justice. |