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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND CERTIFICATION
Abstract
When in court, having a certification as an investigator demonstrates that he is reliable and
knowledgeable. Certifications should be required of every department or agency so they can also
be counted as reputable. To testify in court, witnesses must be honest for a fair trial to take place.
Certification benefits the investigator in numerous ways; he can be more confident in court by
assuredly stating facts relevant to his field of study, crime scenes can be processed in an efficient
and thorough way, and he proves he is qualified in a certain area. By being confident in court
about a certain subject, the ethical issue of perjury lessens. It is vital for investigators to be
ethical in their work to uphold justice. Ten recommendations based on training, ethics, policy,
and protocol are listed for certification and recertification requirements. Christians who possess a
biblical worldview understand the importance of honesty and integrity as it relates to witness
testimony in the criminal justice system.
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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND CERTIFICATION
Crime Scene Investigation and Certification
Certifications are essential for ensuring that law enforcement personnel are qualified to
be working in their field. The requirements for certifications vary and can include hands-on
training and classroom material which will conclude with an exam. Law enforcement agencies
should require certifications for their different units that are specific to a certain area. For
example, an officer in the investigation unit may have a bloodstain analysis certification, and
another officer may have a certification for fingerprint identification. Having certifications
proves that the officers are reliable in a certain area and can be reputable as expert witnesses in
court. However, having different courses and curricula for these certifications results in various
concepts learned in the course which differs from other agencies. At a minimum, states should
require the same curriculum and courses for their investigators. If the United States offered
courses with the same classroom material in every state, officers would all use the same standard
method in their work. This would lessen confusion or misinterpretation of the processing of
evidence. By working toward a certification, officers prove that they are competent in their area
of work.
Certification Requirements
Having a certification puts a positive image on an investigator. Requirements for
certifications can fluctuate depending on the area. Some may require just classroom work while
others require hands-on activities. Most certifications require both. The amount of time put into a
certification also varies. The Indiana Law Enforcement Academy requires a minimum of 120
hours of crime scene training to be completed to get their certificate (“Crime Scene
Investigators,” n. d., para. 4). In addition to training, they must also complete a proficiency
exam. The minimum number of hours needed differs from state to state and agency to agency.
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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND CERTIFICATION
Although it takes a good amount of time to complete the requirements for a certificate, it benefits
the investigator as well as the agency or department. Morling (2020) says, “Experts must not
only have a high level of expertise in the subject matter in question but also a thorough
knowledge of the legal framework in which they are testifying and an ability to convey the
meaning of their evidence successfully to the courts and juries” (para. 4). If one has a
certification, he must get recertified every few years. The investigator can prove that they are
more knowledgeable in a certain area once they have worked toward a certificate.
Ethics in Certification
When in court, some witnesses may put on a façade by pretending they have expertise in
an area. By having a certification, expert witnesses can truthfully testify instead of professing as
if they are well-versed in a certain subject matter. This lessens the occurrence of perjury which is
a felony in many states. Nurkholik et al. (2022) state that expert witnesses’ testimonies can
strengthen one party’s argument while weakening the other’s argument (p. 77). An investigator
involved in a case will be obligated to testify in court, so he must be prepared and knowledgeable
in every aspect. Not only must they be careful with what they say, they must be careful with how
they state their testimony. A part of a certification requirement could be practicing in a mock
court to ensure clarification of a witness’s statements. Although having a certification shows that
one is qualified to speak on a certain subject matter, the incidence of subjective interpretation is
still possible (Gardner & Krouskup, 2018, p. 315). From a biblical perspective, Christians should
always be honest and full of integrity. Proverbs 10:9 says, “Whoever walks in integrity walks
securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out” (ESV).
Conclusion
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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND CERTIFICATION
Certifications are extremely beneficial for expert witnesses in court. They should be
required for witnesses to speak on a certain subject matter such as bloodstain patterns, footprint
analysis, or fingerprint identification. The following are recommendations on training, policy,
ethics, and protocol:
Employees must have an associate degree, but a bachelor’s degree is preferred.
Certifications are required within one year of the hire date.
Investigators are to become recertified every three years.
A minimum of sixty classroom hours and sixty hours of hands-on activities are to be
completed for certification.
For recertification, an investigator must have fifteen hours of classroom work and fifteen
hours of hands-on activities.
To get a certification or become recertified, the person must practice their testimony in a
mock court to ensure statements are reliable and accurate.
During the certification process, a total of three exams must be passed to become
certified.
Once an investigator has become certified and recertified at least once, he is eligible to
teach a subject matter course.
To reduce confusion and misinterpretation, a standard course should be set for instructors
to follow when they teach the curriculum, so investigators process a scene the same way.
If an investigator fails to reach the minimum number of hours or fails the final exam, he
must wait another year to get certified or recertified.
Having strict rules for certification proves that those who become certified are reputable and
knowledgeable in a given area. This is essential for court testimony to ensure the reliability and
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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND CERTIFICATION
trustworthiness of an investigator. Certification also proves the competency of the investigator.
When they show that they are honest in their work, they show integrity in the criminal justice
system. Integrity is necessary for justice to be served. Proverbs 11:3 says, “The integrity of the
upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them” (ESV). Being
certified shows that one does not have to lie in court to cover up for his lack of knowledge.
Certification shows that investigators are willing to put in hard work to achieve something that
will benefit their degree. The bullet points listed are examples of hard work that take passion
and determination to complete. Although agencies and states have different requirements, all
the components to complete certifications are hefty. The number of classroom work hours and
activities vary as well as number of exams or number of questions on exams. For example, the
Indiana Law Enforcement Academy requires a minimum of 120 hours of crime scene training to
be completed for investigators to get their certificate (“Crime Scene Investigators,” n. d., para.
4). By showing that an investigator is certified in a subject matter, he shows that he is likely
willing to do his job well and thoroughly. Morling (2020) states, “Experts must not only have a
high level of expertise in the subject matter in question but also a thorough knowledge of the
legal framework in which they are testifying and an ability to convey the meaning of their
evidence successfully to the courts and juries” (para. 4). Certification can also increase honesty
so one does not have to pretend to have knowledge of a certain subject. This helps with
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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND CERTIFICATION
trustworthiness in court. The public can also have greater trust in the criminal justice system
when they see that people are doing their job thoroughly and truthfully. Certification proves
that one is knowledgeable on a certain matter, but it does not eliminate human error of
subjective interpretation (Gardner & Krouskup, 2018, p. 315). Many court cases rely heavily on
investigators' work to help determine a verdict. It is essential for them to be seeking
recertification so judges can be fair in their decisions based on the statements made by
investigators. Nurkholik et al. (2022) state that expert witnesses’ testimonies can strengthen
one party’s argument while weakening the other’s argument (p. 77). Investigators may view
certification as a tedious task, but it is extremely beneficial to the criminal justice system. One of
the main goals of the criminal justice system is to rightly and fairly serve justice. Investigators
play a huge part of this goal, so it is vital for them to be knowledgeable in their work. They take
on big responsibilities for not only the agency they work for, but also the system. Being certified
also lessens ethical issues. For example, the incidence of perjury is not likely when they have
experience and do not have to fake their way through their statements. They are able to think
through things more thoroughly and critically.
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CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION AND CERTIFICATION
References
“Crime Scene Investigators.” (n. d.). Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. Indiana State
Government. https://www.in.gov/ilea/training/crime-scene-investigators/
Gardner, R. M., & Krouskup, D. (2018). Practical Crime Scene Processing and Investigation (3rd
ed.). Taylor & Francis. https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/books/9781351692373
Morling, N. R. (2020). Forensic Science Evidence and Expert Witness Testimony: Reliability
Through Reform? International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 60, 1.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2019.03.003
Nurkholik, N., Warka, M., Suhartono, S., & Yovita, A. M. (2022). The Urgence Of Expert
Witness Certification In Criminal Cases. Journal of International Trade, Logistics and
Law, 8(1), 77-82. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?
url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/urgence-expert-witness-certification-
criminal/docview/2674677356/se-2
The Holy Bible. (2001). English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles.
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