Karen Wong September 30th 2013 BLOOD SPATTER ANALYST (BSA)
What I know: They are asked to analyze crime scenes with blood in it. Even if there are only a few specks of blood, analysts may still be called in. They are probably more accurate in their findings due to more knowledge from past cases.
Education and/or Training: http://criminologycareers.about.com/ ● Classes in math and/or science can help, especially physics, biology, and chemistry ● Bachelor’s degree in a natural science and/or criminal justice ● Must go through training developed by the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts and must pass certification ● Minimum of 40 hours of training courses and 240 hours of fieldwork, some employers require more ● Training includes analyzing stain patterns, examination and identification of bloodstain evidence, and documentation of blood stains and patterns Responsibilities/Daily Activities: ● BSAs respond to crime scenes and collect and document evidence, especially evidence relating to any blood found at the scene. ● They analyze blood spatter, droplets, stains, puddles, pools, etc. at the scene. ● They determine weapon used, trajectory of projectile, possible number of wounds, etc. ● They typically work 40 hour weeks, with some days being longer or shorter depending on the case. ● There is the possibility of becoming a crime scene investigator from blood spatter analyst with more training and experience. Salary: ● Between $41,000 and $65,000 per year; Average yearly salary of $55,040 Sources: Graham, Grant. "Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Certification Requirements."International Association for Identification. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.
Self-Reflection: I find that being a Blood Spatter Analyst would be very similar to being a Crime Scene Investigator, except a BSA seems to do more of the “dirty work”. They seem to be doing more of the hands on, dealing with what the criminal could have been doing to commit the crime. I don’t think I would choose this as a career path since it would require going into the minds of such criminals, in a sense. I don’t really feel as though I’m capable to thinking in such a cruel way as people who commit these crimes.