Reading is a wonderful place to start.  There are numerous good books on the market as well as some very informative websites that routinely update their sites with the latest forensic news.  Examples of such websites include:

• www.clpex.com
• www.theiai.org
• www.scafo.org
  

Although some law enforcement agencies do not require education beyond a high school diploma, most hire candidates who possess at least bachelor’s degree.  Many colleges and universities offer certificate courses, as well as specific degrees in Criminalistics or Forensic Science.  There are many reputable forensic organizations open to interested students including The International Association for Identification and The Southern California Association of Fingerprint Officers (SCAFO).

Crime Scene Investigators on the show solve the crime at hand in about forty-seven minutes (not counting commercials).  Real life forensic investigations take days, weeks and sometimes years to solve.  Although much of the equipment on the show is very real and used quite frequently in crime labs, it usually takes multiple specialists, with designated areas of expertise, to operate most of the equipment.

No. We rely on the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Crime Lab for DNA analysis, toxicology, narcotic analysis, and gun shot residue evaluation.