Resources

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 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.

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.

Blow flies, flesh flies, maggots and carcass beetles — not what most people think about on a regular basis unless they work in the field of forensic entomology. This is the study of insects as related to legal investigations, but actually goes much deeper than that particularly for crime scenes and criminal investigations.

Forensic biochemistry has various applications. For instance, forensic biochemists may be asked to trace the origin of a particular substance, determine paternity or the relationships that specific people or animals share, or even track the spread of diseases.

For an unattended death, law enforcement must use a combination of investigative techniques and science to calculate how much time elapsed between the victim taking their last breath and their remains being found.

Those educated in forensic biology can seek out careers as biologists, DNA biologists, biologist forensic examiners, biology DNA program specialists, and more.