I love watching TV shows like NCIS and CSI and I can remember when they first aired. Everyone suddenly wanted to be a Crime Scene Investigator, but before you get too excited about fast cars and high-tech gadgets there are probably a few things you should know.
You won’t be packing heat or kicking down doors. Only a very small number of CSI members carry guns, and they are usually firearms specialists. So all the police work will be done by the police, most of your time would be spent in the lab.
Although, on TV the team usually drive $60,000 hummers you will most likely be the proud owner of a late 90’s pickup truck.
On TV they are able to gain almost immediate results. In reality even the fastest DNA test takes up to 48 hours. So in reality the job is a little slower paced.
TV police often enhance dark or far away images from being almost unrecognizable to being able to see a suspects face clearly. Although enhancement is possible is has its limits. I saw an episode where they zoomed into a mans eye and found the criminals face in it’s reflection, safe to say this is not going to happen anytime soon.
The members of CSI we are used to seeing are always stylishly dressed with immaculate hair. When handling a real dead body you might want to leave your new shirt at home. Actual members of CSI usually wear full body suits because lets be honest a dead body probably isn’t very hygienic.
Contrary to popular opinion Crime Scene Investigators are not always busy solving homicide cases in fact this makes up a very small part of the job.
Here are the numbers.
• Natural causes – 60 %
• Accidental – 26 %
• Suicide – 10 %
• Homicide – 2 %
• Undetermined – 1.5 %
I still love these shows regardless but I might reconsider my career options.
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