Crime Scene / Forensic Technician

Shared first block for every VoTechWorks program. OSHA 10 (30 for construction management), first aid/CPR/AED, applied trade math and measurement, technical reading and writing, digital literacy, and career readiness. Completed before students enter the field, plant or practicum site unsupervised.

• Hold an OSHA 10 card and current CPR/AED certification
• Convert, measure and estimate with trade units, fractions, percentages and basic geometry
• Read a specification, code excerpt or manual and write a clear technical report
• Use email, spreadsheets, and the program's digital job-management tools
• Present a resume, portfolio and interview answers to an employer panel

Competency course in Scene documentation & photography for the Crime Scene / Forensic Technician program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the field, plant or practicum site, measured against the applicable regulations and safety protocols. Students operate, monitor and report real work in Scene documentation & photography and keep a field log signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern Scene documentation & photography
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for Scene documentation & photography
• Perform the core tasks of Scene documentation & photography to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in Scene documentation & photography work and correct them
• Document Scene documentation & photography work in the field log to industry format

Competency course in evidence collection & chain of custody for the Crime Scene / Forensic Technician program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the field, plant or practicum site, measured against the applicable regulations and safety protocols. Students operate, monitor and report real work in evidence collection & chain of custody and keep a field log signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern evidence collection & chain of custody
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for evidence collection & chain of custody
• Perform the core tasks of evidence collection & chain of custody to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in evidence collection & chain of custody work and correct them
• Document evidence collection & chain of custody work in the field log to industry format

Competency course in latent prints for the Crime Scene / Forensic Technician program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the field, plant or practicum site, measured against the applicable regulations and safety protocols. Students operate, monitor and report real work in latent prints and keep a field log signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern latent prints
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for latent prints
• Perform the core tasks of latent prints to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in latent prints work and correct them
• Document latent prints work in the field log to industry format

Competency course in bloodstain & trace basics for the Crime Scene / Forensic Technician program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the field, plant or practicum site, measured against the applicable regulations and safety protocols. Students operate, monitor and report real work in bloodstain & trace basics and keep a field log signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern bloodstain & trace basics
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for bloodstain & trace basics
• Perform the core tasks of bloodstain & trace basics to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in bloodstain & trace basics work and correct them
• Document bloodstain & trace basics work in the field log to industry format

Competency course in digital evidence intro for the Crime Scene / Forensic Technician program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the field, plant or practicum site, measured against the applicable regulations and safety protocols. Students operate, monitor and report real work in digital evidence intro and keep a field log signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern digital evidence intro
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for digital evidence intro
• Perform the core tasks of digital evidence intro to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in digital evidence intro work and correct them
• Document digital evidence intro work in the field log to industry format

Competency course in courtroom testimony for the Crime Scene / Forensic Technician program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the field, plant or practicum site, measured against the applicable regulations and safety protocols. Students operate, monitor and report real work in courtroom testimony and keep a field log signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern courtroom testimony
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for courtroom testimony
• Perform the core tasks of courtroom testimony to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in courtroom testimony work and correct them
• Document courtroom testimony work in the field log to industry format

Competency course in lab practicum for the Crime Scene / Forensic Technician program. Instruction moves from demonstration to supervised practice to independent performance in the field, plant or practicum site, measured against the applicable regulations and safety protocols. Students operate, monitor and report real work in lab practicum and keep a field log signed off by the instructor.

• Explain the principles, terminology and standards that govern lab practicum
• Select and safely use the tools, equipment and materials for lab practicum
• Perform the core tasks of lab practicum to the standard, within time, without rework
• Identify faults, hazards and non-conformities in lab practicum work and correct them
• Document lab practicum work in the field log to industry format

An integrated, assessed piece of real work that draws on every trade course in Crime Scene / Forensic Technician: planned, estimated, executed and documented by the student, reviewed by an employer advisor. Capstones are shown in the Student Yard or the Museum of VoTech where the work allows.

• Plan and estimate a complete job from a specification
• Execute the job to standard within the estimate
• Present the finished work and its documentation to an employer panel

Supervised placement with an employer partner in Crime Scene / Forensic Technician work. Hours are logged against the certifying body's task list; the employer evaluates against the same rubric used in the shop.

• Perform the trade's tasks in a real workplace under supervision
• Meet employer expectations for attendance, safety and conduct
• Log hours and tasks in the format the certifying body accepts

Structured preparation for IAI Certified Crime Scene Investigator (CCSI); IAI Latent Print Cert; State Evidence Tech Cert: content review mapped to the exam blueprint, timed practice exams, practical-exam rehearsal, and registration/eligibility paperwork with the registrar.

• Score ≥ 80% on two timed mock exams
• Complete the eligibility application and hours verification
• Rehearse the practical exam format to time

The program completion credential(s). Sat at the school's authorized testing center or the body's test site; results recorded in the student record and reported in the annual outcomes report. Pass standard: Credential issued by the body.