Open Blog

We have all seen shows that deal with crime scene investigators and the police department such as, Law and Order: SVU, NCIS, and CSI. During these shows we see investigators find evidence at every scene, solve crimes in one night, and know how to deal with victims. But is this how it is like in reality? The sad answer is no, which I found out while researching the job of a crime scene investigator.

            I knew that the shows were not exactly what real life would be but I never expected it to be so different. The job of being a crime scene investigator seems like it would be so fulfilling when you solve a crime and can bring justice to the world. This is normally not the case.  Investigators work 24/7 and are always on call unlike how TV shows portray the job as a 9 to 5 job. Another example, TV shows do not show the full job. They miss out on the tidies paper work that goes along with each investigation. This paperwork takes up countless hours of an investigators job.  Normally at the end of the shows, investigators solve the crisis with their forensic evidence. Unfortunately, due to the shows, criminals have used what they see in the shows to cover up their tracks, making it nearly impossible for crime scene investigators to come up with forensic evidence for trials. The bottom line, not everything is what it seems to be.  

            From researching this I topic I find it unfortunate that a real crime scene investigator does not solve as many crimes as the shows lead on.  But it also got me thinking. Is it a good idea to have these shows on air? Do criminals really get their ideas of crimes from these shows? Although these shows are very entertaining I do not know if it is best for this world.

Cush, Chris D. "Free Newsletter." Want to Become a Crime Scene Investigator? Here's the Real Story:. Crime Scene Investigator Network, 2012. Web.

Analyzing Narrative

While researching the topic of a crime scene investigator, one name in particular kept on reappearing. It was Dr. Henry Lee.  From reading many biographies I found that he is one of the most famous forensic scientists of all time and has contributed hundreds of testimonies in prominent cases.  Some of these include the O.J. Simpson trial, murder of Jon Benet, and the reinvestigation of the Kennedy assassination.  Dr. Lee has received countless awards for his contributions to the world of forensic science.

In the biography I was reading about Dr. Lee there was nothing but good things to say about him. Throughout the whole biography, the writer emphasized how successful Dr. Lee was.  He did this by being detailed, chronological, and conflict. This biography was very detailed by not just saying that he went to school for a long time but went into detail about where he went to school along with how many years and what degrees he received.  Another example of how the writer was detailed was by getting deep into the background of his life. By doing this, the writer was also using chronological events to show his life up to his accomplishments.  He started by with his childhood explaining how he was born in Taiwan and then moved to the United States. He then went through Dr. Lee’s life events such as his marriage, children, and the schooling.  The author explains conflict in the biography as well. The conflict he presents is person vs. self. He does this by explaining how Dr. Lee would feel that he just wanted to quit school but he never gave up and kept pushing forward.  By being detailed, chronological, and by presenting a conflict the author highlighted all of Dr. Lee’s successes in the field.

AEI Speakers. "Dr. Henry Lee." Lee Dr. Henry. American Entertainment International Speakers Bureau, 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2013.

Open Blog

This week I have been researching the degree requirements and standards of what it takes to be a crime scene investigator. When I was researching there was not one straight answer, which made it a little difficult to come to a straightforward answer. What it comes down to is that there really is no one straight degree you need. There are several options. Either you can take the direction of forensic science degree, forensic biology, criminology, or another social science major. With these majors it is necessary to get a Bachelors degree but is recommended to have further schooling. I did not find this to be that uncommon but I was surprised that there were so many different paths a student can take in order to become a crime scene investigator. If I decide to choose this as my career then I know that if I am not interested in one major but would still like to be an investigator, I have several different choices.

Heynsten, Aaron. "Crime Scene Investigator Requirements." & CSI Internships. Criminal Justice Information, 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2013.

Learning the Language

Any second of television time I can get is spent watching shows full of criminals, cops, and investigators. One of my favorite is a show called NCIS. NCIS stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Each episode deals with agents of a particular unit who work together to find forensic evidence to convict felons. This is would my ideal job. The characters in the show work in many different areas such as a crime lab,  on the scene, or dealing with victims. Each of these areas in the job use different linguistics.

Popular Culture uses different linguistics to represent this job. Writers of NCIS had to research the terminology of a Crime Scene Investigator in order to portray the job in a realistic manner. Some of these words include: victim, autopsy, severed, dermis, prints, suicide, murder, post mortem, and suspect. These words are not very common in other careers. The writers of the show want the viewer to be able to relate to the specific field and separate this field from others. By using their own language the writers create this atmosphere of a difficult but interesting life investigators must go through. Writers do this every day in order to draw in an audience.  Even from watching this show I have felt more prepared going into my Criminology classes.  

NCIS Example Episode

"About Me"

Hi y’all! My name is Ashton Talkovic and I am just your All American girl trying to find out what profession she wants to pursue for the rest of her life. But before I can even think about that, I need to get my prerequisite classes done at Michigan State University. In fact this is why I am creating this blog, for my writing class. Although I would rather not partake in this class, I believe that this course will enable me to become a more advanced writer than I already am at the moment. Often I become discouraged and want to give up on my writing. By having to write this blog on a specific profession that I am interested in, will hopefully keep motivated throughout the semester.

            As I move forward with my future at Michigan State University I plan to continue studying Psychology and Criminology. While I work towards obtaining these degrees, I am not exactly sure what career would be the best path for me but the profession I am currently interested in is to become a Crime Scene Investigator. My reasoning behind this decision is that I find it fascinating that people can use science and other skills to investigate and reenact a crime. By doing so, they are able to lift evidence that can be used to convict felons. Hopefully by researching this job every week for this blog I will finally be able to determine my future job.