The Forensic Science Education Blog

In the wake of the Silk Road case, the need for modern forensics investigators has only grown and so has the complexity of their task. This isn’t just a fight against an increasingly adept criminal class, but also one to master the modes and methods of the bleeding edge of technology.

Perhaps nothing has changed the modern investigative procedure as much as mobile forensics. A subset of digital forensics, mobile forensics involves the retrieval of data from a mobile device, typically a cell phone or tablet, but potentially a smartwatch, camera, GPS device, or drone.

Forensic analysis is built on the principle that digital evidence represents reality. But AI-generated and AI-altered media undermine that assumption, forcing experts to assess not just what was recorded, but whether the event ever occurred at all.

Forensic science technicians have a regular presence at crime scenes, aiding in the process of criminal investigations under a crime scene leader or field supervisor. The role involves helping to collect, document, and analyze evidence and submitting it to the crime laboratory.

Paralegals play a critical role in the legal system, supporting attorneys with research, drafting, case preparation, and client communication. They help manage case files, prepare documents for court, coordinate with clients and witnesses, and ensure that legal processes run smoothly. While they cannot provide legal advice or represent clients in court, paralegals are indispensable to law firms, corporations, government agencies, and nonprofits.

Fraud investigation is the research of intentional criminal deception and involves civil and criminal methods of examination. Professional fraud investigators have a variety of job responsibilities in corporate or government-based institutions.

Forensic chemistry attracts curious problem-solvers who can collect evidence with precision and remain objective in their observations. Ideal candidates for forensic chemistry positions must prove their abilities to follow legal and scientific protocols when collecting physical evidence from a crime scene and analyzing it in a laboratory.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the principal federal law enforcement agency of the United States. Its investigative authority is the broadest of all federal law enforcement agencies, and the Bureau’s workforce is similarly large, employing approximately 35,000 people, including both special agents and support professionals, to serve its mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution.

Crime analysts work in law enforcement analyzing crime reports, arrest records, police calls, and other data to establish patterns and make correlations. They synthesize the data they gather into detailed reports that their departments use to make decisions about prosecutions, patrols, and staffing.

By earning a graduate certificate or degree in forensic accounting, professionals with bachelor’s degrees in accounting can become certified in fraud examination, thereby protecting individuals, corporations, and entire economies from the perils of financial corruption. Online forensic accounting programs have expanded to allow students to maintain their current jobs while earning a certificate or degree.

The crime scene investigator, also called a CSI, will come to crime scenes in order to conduct an investigation and to collect evidence, and although there are varied paths to becoming a crime scene investigator, they typically involve a mix of rigorous coursework and empirical training.

Forensic nursing—an area at the intersection of medicine and law—is a specialty only recently recognized by the American Nurses Association (ANA). Read on to discover how to join the burgeoning field of forensic nursing, including information about accredited educational programs (online and on-campus) and professional certification.

What do forensic psychologists do? Responsibilities may vary, but most psychologists in the field help police determine the motives for certain crimes, narrow down a suspect pool, and generally provide deeper insight into the criminal mind in order to assist investigators.

The mortgage crisis of 2008, when investigated by the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, was found to have been precipitated by an industry full of predatory and fraudulent practices. The commission referred dozens of cases to prosecutors. Although fines were paid, no one was indicted, no one was put on trial, and no one was jailed.

In order to catch tomorrow’s killers and to protect the innocent, forensics experts will need to look for critical evidence in the places it’s now most likely to be found: a stray email address, a grainy clip of surveillance footage, a single incriminating IP address pulled from a list of countless others.