Day in the Life - Forensic Technician Sarah Finch
Summary
TLDRThis video script narrates the journey of an individual passionate about forensics since childhood, inspired by TV shows like 'Forensic Files.' They interned at a state crime lab, exploring forensic biology and serology, before deciding to pursue fieldwork. The script details their role in responding to various crime scenes, documenting evidence through photography and collecting DNA and fingerprints. It highlights the importance of teamwork and the gratification of helping others, emphasizing the individual's commitment to contributing to the investigative process and the community's safety.
Takeaways
- ๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ The speaker's interest in forensics began in elementary school and was influenced by popular media such as TV shows.
- ๐ฉโ๐ฌ They interned with a state crime lab to explore forensic biology and serology, which involves processing evidence.
- ๐ The speaker decided to pursue fieldwork, which involves responding to various crime scenes, from property crimes to homicides and assaults.
- ๐ธ At crime scenes, they document what they see through notes, photography, fingerprint processing, and DNA analysis, depending on the scene's circumstances.
- ๐ฎโโ๏ธ They are dispatched to a personal robbery and are expected to collect DNA and fingerprints from potential evidence handled by the suspect.
- ๐งฌ They use swabs to collect DNA samples from the evidence and take a DNA standard from the victim for comparison, to isolate any suspect DNA.
- ๐ The collected DNA swabs and photographic evidence are secured and submitted for further analysis or as part of the investigation.
- ๐ค Although they often work alone, they have a squad that can provide support both on and off the scene, which is appreciated for camaraderie and assistance.
- ๐ฅ The speaker values the sense of community and support from their unit, which helps them cope with the challenges of processing crime scenes.
- ๐ The most gratifying aspect of their job is the ability to help people, no matter how big or small the contribution, and knowing they made a difference at the end of the day.
Q & A
What sparked the individual's interest in forensics?
-The individual's interest in forensics was sparked in late elementary school, further fueled by exposure to popular media like TV shows such as Forensic Files.
What did the individual decide to intern with after learning about forensics?
-After learning about forensics, the individual decided to intern with the state crime lab to explore forensic biology and understand the work of serologists.
What change in career focus did the individual experience after interning?
-After interning and learning about the work of serologists, the individual decided to shift their focus from lab work to field work.
What is the range of crimes the individual responds to in their job?
-The individual responds to a wide range of crimes, from property crimes like burglaries to serious offenses such as homicides, assaults, and robberies.
What are the typical tasks performed at a crime scene?
-At a crime scene, the individual typically documents what they see through notes and photography, processes for fingerprints and DNA, and may sketch or measure the scene depending on the circumstances.
What specific task was the individual asked to perform at a personal robbery scene?
-At a personal robbery scene, the individual was asked to collect DNA and fingerprints from a potential item of evidence that the suspect handled.
How does the individual ensure they can isolate suspect DNA from evidence?
-To isolate suspect DNA, the individual collects elimination DNA from the victim, which helps to differentiate between the victim's DNA and any potential suspect DNA on the evidence.
What is done with the DNA swabs and photographs taken at a scene?
-The DNA swabs are turned into evidence, and the photographs are transferred onto a CD-ROM or DVD by a photo video tech for future reference.
How does the individual handle working alone at crime scenes?
-While the individual is expected to work alone at crime scenes, they have a squad that can provide support both on and off the scene, which provides a sense of camaraderie and assistance when needed.
What does the individual find most gratifying about their job?
-The most gratifying aspect of the individual's job is the ability to help people in any way they can, knowing that they have made a difference by the end of the day.
Outlines
๐ Forensics and Crime Scene Investigation
The speaker recounts their interest in forensics, sparked by TV shows during middle school. They pursued an internship at a state crime lab to understand the field better, focusing on forensic biology and serology. Their job involves responding to various crime scenes, from property crimes to homicides, documenting and processing evidence including fingerprints and DNA. The speaker highlights the importance of the investigative process and the tools they use, such as photography and DNA swabbing, to aid law enforcement. They also discuss the support system within their squad and the gratification of helping people through their work.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กForensics
๐กSerologist
๐กCrime Scene Investigation
๐กEvidence
๐กFingerprints
๐กDNA
๐กElimination DNA
๐กDocumentation
๐กCamaraderie
๐กGratification
Highlights
Interest in forensics sparked by popular media during elementary and middle school.
Interned at a state crime lab to explore forensic biology and serology.
Decided to pursue fieldwork after understanding the roles in forensics.
Aims to help people and has been passionate about it since childhood.
Job involves going out to see what's happening in the city and being part of the investigative process.
Responds to a variety of crime scenes, from property crimes to homicides and assaults.
Crime scenes are documented with notes, photography, and potential fingerprint and DNA processing.
The specific tasks at a crime scene depend on the circumstances.
Called to a personal robbery scene to collect DNA and fingerprints from an item of evidence.
Uses swabs to collect DNA from evidence and from victims for elimination purposes.
Photographs are taken and stored as evidence, with SD cards submitted to a photo video tech.
Works mostly alone but has a squad for support when needed.
Appreciates the camaraderie and support from the squad and unit.
The most gratifying part of the job is helping people in any way possible.
Ends the day knowing that they have made a difference by helping others.
Transcripts
[Music]
I found out that I had an interest in
forensics since about late elementary
school in middle school learned about it
in the form of popular media in the form
of TV shows and the first 48 Forensic
Files all that stuff but after looking
more into the field and figuring out
exactly what they're about I decided to
intern with the state crime lab go into
forensic biology see what serologist do
when they're helping process evidence
and decided I actually wanted to go into
field work but I've know what I wanted
to do this and help people since since I
was a kid pretty much and it's all I've
wanted to do since then the most
interesting thing about my job is
probably the fact that I get to actually
go out and see what's happening in my
city good or bad and that I get to be a
part of the investigative process that
our law enforcement officers conduct we
respond from anything from property
crimes so if your car your house gets
broken into all the way to homicides
assaults robberies it really just
depends on the circumstances of the
scene as to what we respond to as well
as what we do any crime scene we're
gonna document what we see in the form
of notes sometimes in the form of
photography we have the capability to
process for fingerprints we have the
capability to process for DNA if we need
to sketch or measure a crime scene we
can do that but again it it all really
depends on the circumstances of the
scene so we've been dispatched to a
personal robbery
the detective hasn't briefed me on the
specifics on the scene yet but from my
basic understanding I'll probably be
taking photographs potentially
processing for fingerprints and DNA but
we'll we'll see what we got when we get
there so detective jion's requested that
I collect DNA and fingerprints from a
potential item of evidence that the
suspect handled during the incident
so what I'm getting I have detective
Yount carrying my latent kit that I
showed you earlier
and what I have here are swaps to
collect a sample of DNA
from the item of evidence and then to
get a DNA standard from our victim
because seeing is how the property
belongs to her her DNA should be on it
so what we do is we get elimination DNA
to take her DNA off of it in a way of
saying so that way we can isolate any
suspect DNA so for this particular case
really the most I could do was
photograph the surface that the
detective had me look at wasn't exactly
conducive for fingerprinting but it was
conducive for swabbing for DNA so what I
did was I swab the item in question and
then also took a DNA standard from our
victim in order to get that elimination
sample the DNA swabs I'm actually going
to turn into evidence and then the SD
card containing my photographs that'll
get dropped into a lockbox and be
submitted to our photo video tech and
what she's gonna do is she's going to
transfer those photos and put them on a
cd-rom or a DVD some kind of disk so
that way if somebody needs to look at
the photos down the line we will have a
hard copy of them we do work most of our
job alone we're expected to respond to
scenes so lowers expected to process
scenes alone however we do have a squad
that can assist us if we need they can
provide a support either on scene or off
scene and it's that sense of camaraderie
I really appreciate that that if I'm
having a problem either processing a
scene or if I need to talk about
something that I saw on scene it's nice
to know that I have a squad and an
entire unit to come back to that will
help me through that most gratifying
thing about my job is just the fact that
I get to help people however I can
big or small at the end of the day I get
to go home knowing that I've I've helped
somebody
[Music]
you
Browse More Related Video
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)