Graduate Education in ‘Conventional’ Criminalistics: A Proposal and Reactions
Lindquist, CA
Associate Professor and Professor, respectively, Department of Criminal Justice, University ofAlabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.

Liu, RH
Associate Professor and Professor, respectively, Department of Criminal Justice, University ofAlabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.

Jenkins, K
Laboratory Scientist, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Laboratory, Decatur, GA.

Yates, L
Director, Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, Paul E. Shoffeitt Laboratory, Birmingham,AL.


Abstract
‘Conventional’ criminalistics is defined in this study as: firearms and toolmark examination, microscopic examination of glass, soil, hair and fibers, fingerprint analysis and questioned documents examination. Since pre-employment access to graduate education programs and training opportunities in these conventional areas has traditionally been quite limited, a new graduate education model for conventional criminalistics was developed and presented to the membership of ASCLD for reaction. Based on a 51.8% response rate (N = 177) to a survey instrument, it was found that laboratory directors generally supported the model and believed that it could be appropriately linked to the 100 or so new hires projected annually by the directors for the conventional areas over the next five years.

Keywords:
apprenticeship, criminalistics, education, forensic science, graduate education, hiring projections, laboratory survey, surveys

Paper ID: JFS392940412

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.
Author Lindquist CA, Liu RH, Jenkins K, Yates L Title Graduate Education in ‘Conventional’ Criminalistics: A Proposal and Reactions Symposium , Committee on