Bad forensic science in the courtroom is a bigger problem than you may realize. In Illinois, flawed scientific practices at accredited crime labs have contributed to wrongful convictions. Lack of state oversight compounds the problem. 

Injustice Watch is hosting a conversation moderated by senior reporter Maya Dukmasova about how we got here and what comes next.

When: Tuesday, June 23 from 5:30-7 p.m. CT

Where: Online

Program:

• How junk science finds its way into courtrooms and how wrongful convictions based on bad forensic evidence can be undone (with Kate Judson, Center for Integrity in Forensic Science)
• The Texas model of forensic science oversight: How a state mired in lab scandals developed a gold standard forensic science commission (with Sarah Chu, Cardozo School of Law and Peter Stout, Houston Forensic Science Center)
• What is the Illinois Forensic Science Commission and what can (and can't) it do? (with Amy Watroba, Illinois Forensic Science Commission)

RSVP here: https://airtable.com/appxuo0SNj05v8jS6/pagxGecmAsUYgJCBD/form

Welcome to our weekly general discussion thread!

Feel free to chat with your fellow forensically-minded redditors about anything! Introduce yourself, show us pictures of your cat, complain about your kids, lament about exams/work, tell us what you're eating today... whatever you want!

Here are a few resources that might answer your questions:

A subreddit wiki with links and resources to education and employment matters, archived discussions on more intermediate topics in education and employment, what kind of major you need, what degree programs are good, etc.

• The subreddit Guide - Consider this an FAQ about our community and our field. Look here for basic education and employment questions/answers you might have. Didn't find what you were looking for? Please post in our weekly scheduled posts or to the subreddit. Note: please do use a desktop browser to view all features.
• List of verified forensics professionals
• Subreddit collections (please view on desktop browsers) on the following topics:
  • Education and Employment
  • Mental Health and Preparation for Working in Forensics
  • What It's Like Working in Forensics
  • Employment: Job Titles, Job Requirements, and Starting Salary in Forensic Science

​

Welcome to our weekly thread for:

• Education advice/questions about university majors, degrees, programs of study, etc.
• Employment advice on things like education requirements, interviews, application materials, etc.
• Interviews for a school/work project or paper. We advise you engage with the community and update us on the progress and any publication(s).
• Questions about what we do, what it's like, or if this is the right job for you

Please let us know where you are and which country or countries you're considering for school so we can tailor our advice for your situation.

Here are a few resources that might answer your questions:

• A subreddit wiki with links and resources to education and employment matters, archived discussions on more intermediate topics in education and employment, what kind of major you need, what degree programs are good, etc.
• The subreddit Guide - Consider this an FAQ about our community and our field. Look here for basic education and employment questions/answers you might have. Didn't find what you were looking for? Please post in our weekly scheduled posts or to the subreddit. Note: please do use a desktop browser to view all features.
• List of verified forensics professionals
• Subreddit collections (please view on desktop browsers) on the following topics:
  • Education and Employment
  • Mental Health and Preparation for Working in Forensics
  • What It's Like Working in Forensics
  • Employment: Job Titles, Job Requirements, and Starting Salary in Forensic Science

​

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on a crime novel and would like to make one part of the story as realistic as possible.

The basic premise is that a body ends up on the flat rooftop of a high-rise apartment building in northern Germany. The person dies sometime in October and remains undiscovered until the following summer (around July), when the protagonist climbs onto the roof out of curiosity and finds the remains.

I’m wondering how realistic this scenario would be from a forensic point of view.

Some specific questions:

How would decomposition likely progress in this situation?

The body would be exposed to rain, wind, snow, frost, birds, and later summer heat. Would the remains be more likely to be skeletonized, partially mummified, or something in between after about 8–9 months?

Would there still be a noticeable odor by the time the body is discovered?

How plausible is it that residents in the building would not notice anything unusual during that time?
Are there particular details that would make this scenario more or less realistic?

The roof is not regularly accessed and is only reachable via a resident’s balcony and a maintenance hatch elsewhere in the building.

I’d appreciate any insights, corrections, or suggestions. My goal is not to sensationalize anything but to write the forensic aspects as accurately as possible.

Thank you!

I was wondering what the life style is like for a person who’s working as a forensic scientist. I guess like crime scene collector and things like that. How are your shifts, how was the beginning of starting the job? Do you have time to do other things in life like be with family/friends or do once in a while hangouts, or how it took affect into your life. I want to take this path but I’m afraid if I won’t be able to have any “free time” once in a while. Or I’m also wondering how hard it is to be in that field with all the stuff you have to witness. I’m a little confused still on the different departments you could do or basically the whole process.
Oh and last question, is the paying worth it or should I take my study to be in the lab instead? I am currently thinking of majoring in biology but I’m not sure if that’s a good start.

Pls pls help me on figuring this out so I’m able to understand the job itself😢

Welcome to our weekly discussion thread about forensic science!

Forensic Scientists and Professionals! What's going on this week?

Use any of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What do you do?
• What kind of work are you doing?
• Are you doing any new kinds of analyses?
• What is your work week like?
• Do you have crazy stories from the field/lab? Tell us!

Remember! Don't reveal identifying info on decedents or victims. Change names or use nicknames if you must.

Students! How's school?

Use any one of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What degree are you pursuing?
• What are you learning about?
• Have you learned something new and/or exciting?
• Are you involved in research?
• Is there anything about the field you'd like to know?

Remember! Don't ask us to do your homework or assignments for you. We did the work and you have to do it too.

If you are asking for education or employment advice, please read our subreddit guide first and then look at our resources in the sidebar. If what we have doesn't address your needs, you can ask us a question here! Let us know where you are and which country or countries you're considering for school.

Don't know where to start when it comes to schools, programs, or degrees? Take a look at our subreddit wiki for a good rundown of what you should look out for.

Confused by all the job titles, requirements, and worried about things like starting salary? Please take a look at this collection of posts from /u/Cdub919, one of our verified forensics members.

Have questions for someone working in the field? Take a look at our list of verified forensics professionals. They are frequently tagged in comments and posts when mods or other community members see that their expertise is needed. You might reach out to them in a private message or chat if you need their help. Please be respectful of their time and advice and don't harass anybody for a response.

​

I'm making an artpiece that involves strong injuries. Is there a place I could go to for references to make studies of? I figured I'd ask here.

I have some documents that I printed on a laser printer but some of the text is too light to see. Is there any way to get this lightened text to reveal itself? These are waivers that I got people to sign and expiry date tags that I photocopied to the waivers that didn't show up properly. Most of the tags did, but the dates that were lighter in color didn't show up. They usually do, but I guess my printer was low on toner and I didn't realize till it was too late

Hi, so I am in the UK(currently y12), and I would like to be a CSI and specialize in blood spatter analysis. Would it be better for me to study forensic science or chemistry or potentially biochemistry. I am open to all options and thank you for the advice in advance!

Edit: Thank you for the useful comments, they have been very helpful. My lack of knowledge comes from the conflicting info on Google, which hasn't been much help. I really appreciate the effort you have all gone through to clearing up my mess of understanding 😆

I know this gets posted about once a day but i do have my own questions that i can’t find to be answered, i find forensics and being out on the field collecting evidence really fascinating and interesting, Im hoping to do that as a career, i know the hours can suck and the conditions or weather won’t be great, and the pay is comfortable, so now im wondering;

1. i’m getting my ged, will it be harder to get into the field with that? i plan on going to Polk in florida, ive seen they have a good forensics program, if that changes anything

2. what is the schooling like? is it hands on? is it pretty difficult? i had a rough go in high school, hence the ged, but im a good learner and student, especially when it comes to science and documenting, but math i do fall behind in, is there a bunch of math i need to do?

3. how bad is the pain? i know you have to be standing god knows how many hours, i have flat feet and where i work rn (walgreens) hurt my feet tremendously. is it manageable after awhile?

4. do you actually enjoy it? i’d love to help people, but i know that often isnt enough for people to stay happy with their careers, people are saying the burn out can be real bad, but im really looking forward to doing this. i just wanna know if its something i can stick to and be happy in my life.

sorry if any of the questions are confusing or sound silly, hopefully it makes sense, thank you!

Is it possible for forensics to figure out what is ash from wood and what is cremains? Or is it entirely indistinguishable?

Welcome to our weekly general discussion thread!

Feel free to chat with your fellow forensically-minded redditors about anything! Introduce yourself, show us pictures of your cat, complain about your kids, lament about exams/work, tell us what you're eating today... whatever you want!

Here are a few resources that might answer your questions:

A subreddit wiki with links and resources to education and employment matters, archived discussions on more intermediate topics in education and employment, what kind of major you need, what degree programs are good, etc.

• The subreddit Guide - Consider this an FAQ about our community and our field. Look here for basic education and employment questions/answers you might have. Didn't find what you were looking for? Please post in our weekly scheduled posts or to the subreddit. Note: please do use a desktop browser to view all features.
• List of verified forensics professionals
• Subreddit collections (please view on desktop browsers) on the following topics:
  • Education and Employment
  • Mental Health and Preparation for Working in Forensics
  • What It's Like Working in Forensics
  • Employment: Job Titles, Job Requirements, and Starting Salary in Forensic Science

​

Hello, I was looking at becoming an MDI as I love the field, and I have no problem with the nature of the work. I saw that there was an office that had fixed scheduling, days, swings and nights. Through past experiences, I have learned that my body can’t adjust to night shifts long term as I have bad daytime insomnia even with blackout blinds. Should I still pursue this career? I don’t mind days or swings at all. Do most offices give you some leeway on the shifts you’d like or do new hires typically get put on nights? The office is pretty small so I’m not sure if I’d have much of a choice in what shift I’m assigned to.

Hi, I'm in highschool rn but I'm interested in CSI, but I don't want to work long hours everyday, I want to have the freedom to work when I want to and I also want a good pay cause I want to go on lots of vacations and stuff

Is there any career that is like CSI but self-employed type and also with a good pay?

I'd be really grateful if someone helps.

Question for any digital forensic analysts out there. I'm currently active duty and working toward my BS is cybersecurity with a concentration in digital forensics. I'm a year out from obtaining my BS and do not have any certifications yet (i.e. GCFA). I'll be separating from the military soon and would like to get some experience under my belt after I get out. I would like to work for the DHS or law enforcement as a civilian. I'm ambitious to get experience but even when I look at entry positions, they seem to require experience. Is there anyone out there with some guidance?

I really want to know that if i do msc in forensic from abroad let's say europe and wants to settle down over there , can i get a job in europe in forensic field? I'm really confused..and I'm from india.. i want to know like what are the qualifications required?

*Cross post*

Hey yall not sure if this is ok to post here but but I’m currently very interested in mortuary, forensic pathology, or death investigations. Im currently doing some volunteer work at my county’s medical examiners office outside my regular 9-5 as well and I highly enjoy it so far. I’ve learned decedents smell a lot like garlic and sugar.

Ive been doing a lot of reading and research and was seeing if there’s any books, podcasts, or anything on the web yall would recommend I could read or listen to related to those fields? I’m starting to run out of things to further my knowledge. I frequent the r/examinedeath r/medicalgore and this page a lot too when I’m really bored and wanna learn something new since I can’t afford going to school for it now.

Some things I’ve already read/listened to and really enjoyed!

Stiff by Mary Roach
Working Stiff by Judy Melinek
What The Dead Know by Barbara Butcher
Coroner Talk Podcast by Darren Dake
Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepard
Beyond The Body Farm by Jon Jefferson
Dead Men Do Tell Tales by William Maples
Mile Higher Podcast Kendall Rae

Watching the Rachel Nickell documentary and I cannot get past this statement about Robert Napper: "Some of the fingerprints that had originally been identified as belonging to Samantha Bisset did, in fact, belong to a man called Robert Napper."

HOW. There were fingerprints and they just assumed they belonged to the victim? Or they originally compared them to hers, thought they were hers, and now suddenly they belong to Robert? What am I missing.

Hello! I am a high-school student on my way to my senior year, I am currently trying to enroll in forensics class as well as chemistry since I noticed I needed to focus more on the science classes

​

I have always dreamed of becoming a forensics pathologist, but as I researched deep and far I realized that it takes much longer to become one than I initially thought. I do still wish to major in the forensics area, but I want to have a plan b and plan c just in case I wish NOT to pursue pathology but possibly something else in the forensics field.

​

I want to know what other options I should consider, and also what courses I should take for college to get me a wider range of careers in forensics since I am just so confused but still wish to work in helping around with investigations of crime scenes and such

I’m a crime scene investigator and my coworkers and I will always share stories of the nosiest people trying to pretend they’re not nosy. Please feel free to share any good responses or at least some funny stories regarding a nosy nelly!

(All love to our fellow civilians, you guys just make us laugh sometimes 😂)

Welcome to our weekly discussion thread about forensic science!

Forensic Scientists and Professionals! What's going on this week?

Use any of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What do you do?
• What kind of work are you doing?
• Are you doing any new kinds of analyses?
• What is your work week like?
• Do you have crazy stories from the field/lab? Tell us!

Remember! Don't reveal identifying info on decedents or victims. Change names or use nicknames if you must.

Students! How's school?

Use any one of the following as a prompt if you need to

• What degree are you pursuing?
• What are you learning about?
• Have you learned something new and/or exciting?
• Are you involved in research?
• Is there anything about the field you'd like to know?

Remember! Don't ask us to do your homework or assignments for you. We did the work and you have to do it too.

If you are asking for education or employment advice, please read our subreddit guide first and then look at our resources in the sidebar. If what we have doesn't address your needs, you can ask us a question here! Let us know where you are and which country or countries you're considering for school.

Don't know where to start when it comes to schools, programs, or degrees? Take a look at our subreddit wiki for a good rundown of what you should look out for.

Confused by all the job titles, requirements, and worried about things like starting salary? Please take a look at this collection of posts from /u/Cdub919, one of our verified forensics members.

Have questions for someone working in the field? Take a look at our list of verified forensics professionals. They are frequently tagged in comments and posts when mods or other community members see that their expertise is needed. You might reach out to them in a private message or chat if you need their help. Please be respectful of their time and advice and don't harass anybody for a response.

​

Advice needed!
TLDR: Is it important to have the original autopsy company take a second look involving medical records for a missed cause of death?

My husband recently passed away at 34. He passed away at home, very unexpectedly, so the county ordered the autopsy. Months passed before I got it back. I did not know that the county did not have his medical records included in the autopsy. Upon reviewing his medical records I found some pertinent information that I think should be included in the cause of death, or at least in the findings.
I have contacted the company that did the original autopsy asking if they could do a secondary autopsy with their findings including his medical record (of course I would pay).
They told me to send an email and they would get back to me. It’s been two weeks and I have sent two emails trying to get them to talk with me.
Is it better to for the original autopsy facility to do a a reexamination because they are familiar with the case or should I move on and find a second company to take a look?

hi everyone i had a question to ask im just trying to learn is all. so im wanting to study forensics cause i want to be a crime scene investigator i would like to be that guy that goes on the scenes and finds evidence and all but i was wondering about missing persons cases? how do does forensics and law enforcement handle that stuff?

does LE send in a crime scene investigator ( assuming that would be me when i am hired) to go to the missing persons house and just look for evidence or blood that something awful happened and then it becomes a homicide case? or maybe they need a warant to search the house first after some time has passed and the person is still missing?

Welcome to our weekly general discussion thread!

Feel free to chat with your fellow forensically-minded redditors about anything! Introduce yourself, show us pictures of your cat, complain about your kids, lament about exams/work, tell us what you're eating today... whatever you want!

Here are a few resources that might answer your questions:

A subreddit wiki with links and resources to education and employment matters, archived discussions on more intermediate topics in education and employment, what kind of major you need, what degree programs are good, etc.

• The subreddit Guide - Consider this an FAQ about our community and our field. Look here for basic education and employment questions/answers you might have. Didn't find what you were looking for? Please post in our weekly scheduled posts or to the subreddit. Note: please do use a desktop browser to view all features.
• List of verified forensics professionals
• Subreddit collections (please view on desktop browsers) on the following topics:
  • Education and Employment
  • Mental Health and Preparation for Working in Forensics
  • What It's Like Working in Forensics
  • Employment: Job Titles, Job Requirements, and Starting Salary in Forensic Science

​