A
crime laboratory - often shortened to
crime lab - is a scientific laboratory, using primarily forensic science for the purpose of examining evidence from criminal cases.
A typical crime lab has two sets of personnel:
- Field analysts - investigators that go to crime scenes, collect evidence, and process the scene. Job titles include:
- Forensic evidence technician
- Crime scene investigator
- Scenes of crime officer (SOCO)
- Laboratory analysts - scientists or other personnel who run tests on the evidence once it is brought to the lab (i.e., DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses. The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information...
tests, or bullet striations).
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A
crime laboratory - often shortened to
crime lab - is a scientific laboratory, using primarily forensic science for the purpose of examining evidence from criminal cases.
Lab personnel
A typical crime lab has two sets of personnel:
- Field analysts - investigators that go to crime scenes, collect evidence, and process the scene. Job titles include:
- Forensic evidence technician
- Crime scene investigator
- Scenes of crime officer (SOCO)
- Laboratory analysts - scientists or other personnel who run tests on the evidence once it is brought to the lab (i.e., DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses. The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information...
tests, or bullet striations). Job titles include:
- Forensic technician (performs support functions such as making reagents)
- Forensic scientist/Criminalist (performs scientific analyses on evidence)
- Fingerprint analyst
- Forensic Photographer
- Forensic Document Examiner
United States
In the United States, crime labs may be publicly or privately operated, although private laboratories typically do not respond to crime scenes to collect evidence. Public crime labs are organized at the city, county, state, or national level. A law enforcement agency that does not operate its own crime lab usually has free access to a higher level laboratory for analysis of their evidence.
- Most states have their own crime labs, for instance Oklahoma has the OSBI, many other places have smaller yet still sufficient crime labs.
Well-known crime labs
Some well-known crime labs are:
- FBI Laboratory
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory generally enjoys the reputation as the premier crime lab in the United States. However, during the 1990s, its reputation and integrity came under withering criticism, primarily due to the revelations of Special Agent Dr. Frederic Whitehurst, the most...
- under the jurisdiction of the FBI (located at FBI Headquarters; J. Edgar Hoover Building)
- Las Vegas Crime Lab - under the jurisdiction of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is the joint city-county police force for Clark County, Nevada. It is run by the Sheriff of Clark County, elected every four years. The Sheriff is the only elected head law enforcement officer within the county...
- Miami-Dade Crime Lab - under the jurisdiction of the Miami-Dade Police Department
The Miami-Dade Police Department is a full service metropolitan police department serving Miami-Dade County's unincorporated areas, although they have lenient mutual aid agreements with other incorporated municipalities,...
- New York City Crime Lab - under the jurisdiction of the New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
- Los Angeles Crime Lab - under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With nearly 9,900 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 3.8 million people, it is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the United...
- Forensic Science Training and Research Center - under the jurisdiction of the FBI (located at the FBI Academy
The FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training grounds for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
in Quantico, VirginiaQuantico, Virginia is a town in Prince William County, located in Washington Metropolitan Area. It is totally surrounded by Marine Corps Base Quantico on three sides and the Potomac River on the fourth. Quantico is located south of the mouth of Quantico Creek on the Potomac. As of the 2000 census,...
)
- Suffolk County Crime Lab - under the jurisdiction of the Suffolk County Police Department
Crime labs in popular culture
The term "crime lab" has become a part of popular culture, largely due to the TV dramas. Some of the more famous shows are:
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
and spin-offs CSI: MiamiCSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
and CSI: NYCSI: NY is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 22, 2004 on CBS...
- NCIS
NCIS , is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
- Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E. is a United States television series from Universal Studios that aired from October 3, 1976, to September 5, 1983, on NBC. It stars Jack Klugman in the title role, a Los Angeles County medical examiner...
- a 1970's television show featuring crime lab personnel and procedures
Several non-fiction television programs, document the resolution of criminal cases based on the scientific analysis of the evidence:
- Forensic Files
Forensic Files is a documentary style show which reveals how forensics and science are used to solve violent crimes, mysterious accidents, and even outbreaks of illness. The show is broadcast on truTV, narrated by Peter Thomas, and produced by Medstar Television, in association with truTV Original...
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