Balancing Fear, Risk, and Reward: Forensic Science Students’ Concerns with Doing Crime Scene Investigation

• In Event: Perceptions of Crime in Evolving Communities

Abstract

To assess students’ readiness to do crime scene investigation work, students in an Investigating Forensic Science course reviewed newsclips and listened to a recording about an unsolved homicide provided by the sister of the victim. It included details about events leading up to when her sister was reported missing, when the remains were found, the few leads the investigators have in the case, her feelings of survivor’s guilt, as well as the support network and advocacy work that the student has done as a result of the tragic loss of her sister. Data for our paper come from student reflections on this unsolved homicide case that were collected from courses taught in the spring semester of 2020 (N = 90) and 2021 (N=122). Students were asked about their career path, coping mechanisms and support networks, as well as how listening to the recording might shape their future jobs or interactions with victim(s) and family members of victim(s). Findings reveal that students are simultaneously interested, but afraid of risks involved with this type of work: concerns of bodily fluids, interacting with victims’ family members, and fear of retaliation from perpetrators, but motivated by reward to bring justice to families.

Authors

• Krystal Hans, Purdue University

• Kylie Parrotta, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo