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Introducing Forensic Science
Depending on the specific job and the training and education re-
quired for each, salaries for forensics workers can range from mod-
erate to very high. Forensic lab technicians, for example, earned an
average of $55,660 in 2011. Forensic pathologists who are trained
physicians ranged from $230,000 to well over $300,000 in 2010.
A sound understanding of the nature of chemistry can be vital to
gathering as much information as possible. When traces of chemicals
are found at a crime scene, it is the job of a forensic chemist to figure
out what they are. Usually, a few standard chemical tests can reveal the
identity of these compounds. Many of the techniques used in forensic
laboratories rely on the scientist having at least a basic understanding of
the theories of chemistry.
The theories of physics are often important in the reconstruction of a
crime scene. Theories of motion and energy are critical parts of the physi-
cist’s bag of tricks that can be useful in a forensic setting. Nearly every
crime involves something in motion; it is the job of the physicist to analyze
that evidence.
Crime Scenes and the Role
of Forensic Scientists
While popular media often portrays the forensic scientist as a jack-of-all-
trades who goes out to crime scenes and processes all manner of evidence,
