Forensic chemist

Forensic chemist is a specific chemistry occupation under the more broad field of forensic science. Forensic chemist's basic job description is to study evidence that is brought to them or that they have gathered from a crime scene. Once they have reached a conclusion on the evidence, they might have to testify in court about their findings. Their findings will help prove the guilt or innocence for those involved in the case.

Job Description

Forensic Chemists looking for evidence.

A forensic chemist’s basic job description is to study evidence that is brought to them. Forensic chemists do not investigate the crime, they just study the data and find the facts behind the data. Part of a forensic chemist’s job description is to speak in a court of law. Forensic chemists do not just sit in labs and test evidence, which is their primary job, but they might be called to explain and defend the position they hold concerning the evidence. A forensic chemist needs an understanding of several scientific skills. Forensic chemists need to know biology, chemistry, materials science, and genetics to be able to do their job to the best of their abilities. For the most part, forensic chemists work in laboratories. However, sometimes they will travel with the police to crime scenes. They might have to gather samples and help the police with finding the evidence. Most forensic chemists work a typical five day, forty hour work week. However, some circumstances may require more work time. Forensic chemists are very important in keeping communities safe. Their job helps keep communities safe by determining the guilt or innocence of those in trial. In the lab, there are many different people that specialize in many different skills. The role of forensic chemists is to decide what the evidence is and what the evidence is made out of. There are some tasks that forensic chemists will perform on a regular basis. Forensic chemists will have to handle and examine evidence brought to them and have to determine the contents of the evidence. They will then have to defend and perhaps explain their findings in court or other officials. Other tasks include visiting crime scenes and searching for more evidence on the crime and writing their findings down for the court to use in the case. Forensic chemists have to be familiar with a variety of different scientific tools and methods in order to reach their conclusion on the evidence The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the median income for a forensic chemist is $51, 570 in 2010. This is the median number, with some salaries reaching much higher while others are much lower than the average salary per year. The growth of forensic chemists from 2010 to 2020 is projected at 19%, which is a very average growth compared to other career choices. A 19% projected increase translates to about 2,400 new jobs from 2010 to 2020.

Educational Requirements and Character Traits

There are educational requirements to become a forensic chemist. A person that is looking into becoming a forensic chemist must have at least a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or criminal justice for an entry level position. At first, the company may have you intern under a more a worker with more experience. Also, with the internship, there would be some on the job training in the lab. However, with a master’s degree in this field of work is necessary for higher positions There are several character traits that are useful to have to be a forensic chemist. A forensic chemist must be full of integrity and honesty. Forensic chemists work with crime scene evidence that is very important in determining someone else’s innocence or guilt. They must treat the evidence carefully and with precision. Also, forensic chemists must be honest with the reports they give and the actual truth of the evidence. Forensic chemists should be confident in their work and trust that they are doing everything to the best of their abilities. This is important because sometimes forensic chemists may be called into the courtroom to explain the evidence. The forensic chemist must be strong in what they know the evidence to be because there are lawyers also in the courtroom trying to win the case for their clients. Forensic chemists have to be strong and not take any bribery or sway under the pressure they might be on from others to change or mess with evidence.

History

Sculpture of Democritus

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans used poisons for various means like the execution of prisoners and for murder. The study of these materials dates back to Democritus learning about the poisons and their harmful effects. Before a real justice system was created, guilt was based on what other people said and controversial evidence. Progressively, more tests were run on evidence as the years past, and chemistry has taken a large part in the identification of evidence. Today, our society has trained chemists to study evidence which helps in the determining of verdicts. The history of forensic science is very long and extensive because crime has existed since the fall of man. People have tried many methods in trying to figure out guilt or innocence over the years, some successful and other unsuccessful. People want to punish the criminal and serve justice where it is due. Some of the first tools used to try to solve crimes were very primitive, but served their purpose. For example, back in the day of the ancient Greeks, a physician figured out that if someone was lying, that their pulse would climb resulting in a crude lie-detector test. However, in modern times, a machine is used for lie detecting and a person is barely needed. An example that would be useful for today’s forensic chemist would be the determination that the ancient Chinese made hundreds of years ago. They created a method in deciding whether someone died from drowning or from strangulation. This is a determination that still has to be made in today’s world because people still die from both these things. From the more broad forensic science came the more specific field of forensic chemistry.

Techniques Used

Fingerprints are some of the evidence that can be collected at a crime scene.

Forensic chemists use a variety of different techniques to find the compositions of substances. Also, forensic chemists apply different techniques to isolate certain substances out of materials. Some of the techniques that forensic chemists utilize are difficult to preform, while others are easier and less difficult. Some of the methods that forensic chemists use are the different varieties of spectrophotometry and chromatography. The technique applied depends on the substance being evaluated by the forensic chemist. One example comes when forensic chemists must determine the substance that an arson uses to burn down an entire building and cause incredible damage. One of the techniques that forensic chemists exercise if they must find the substance used by an arson is gas chromatography. From using this method, a forensic chemist can determine the substance and the impurities within the substance. Forensic chemists are very useful because they can help solve a variety of different crimes. Forensic chemists study the remains of someone that has died from an unknown cause. The forensic chemists will analyze the body and see if there were any drugs or poisons within the body, and could help determine the cause of death. Also, for paternity cases, forensic chemists can analyze the bodily fluids to supply evidence for the case and help the judge or jury make the best verdict. However, forensic chemists do not always preform all of these tasks because there are other scientists in the labs that are more specialized with a certain task. Even though they might not preform the tasks all the time, they will mix with other lines of work and will have to know how to do some things with biology and with toxins and medications