General (page 4)
Career Opportunities
Many of the forensic scientists within the General Section
work for colleges, universities, government agencies, police
agencies (State, City, and local agencies), federal agencies
(such as DEA, ATF, and FBI), and criminal investigation
arms of the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and their support
laboratories. Others work for coroners, medical examiners,
hospitals, and District Attorney's offices. Private companies
and independent forensic specialists are consultants to
both the prosecution or defense. Income is dependent on
specialty and geographical area and generally is increasing
for the well-trained forensic scientist. Career advancements
are available in many agencies and are dependent on the
discipline. Almost all agencies that support forensic science
personnel provide opportunity for continuing in-service
training, and many offer additional advanced training.
Forensic radiologist interpreting
x-rays for case preparation.
As crime continues to evolve with technology and society,
forensic scientists will be challenged and will respond
to the investigative demands by applying established technologies
and, where necessary, developing new ones. These emerging
forensic science disciplines will continue to be of vital
importance to the courts and society in general.
