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Asked by 10mdleo to Anna, Craig, Richard, Shane, Sue on 21 Jun 2011.
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Sue Carney answered on 21 Jun 2011:
Hello 10mdleo!
I think this might be the continuation of one of the things we were discussing in this afternoon’s webchat. It’s a very subjective question isn’t it? Everyone will have a different view of what’s easy and what’s difficult. I would say that I find my job easier now than when I first started in forensics. I think that’s just down to experience — with practice many things become easier. But, I didn’t say my job was easy! As you can probably guess, some parts are easier than others. Interpreting a DNA profile that matches a person, and where there is no sign of DNA from any additional person, is pretty straightforward if the only question I’m answering relates to the source of that DNA. Other parts of my work are extremely challenging, such as developing a forensic strategy for a complicated crime which has multiple suspects. Other tasks could be described as more difficult just because they are time consuming and take lots of concentration, such as searching a black leather jacket for very fine blood spatter that can only be seen down a microscope. Tasks like that are made more difficult when you have the added pressure of knowing that it’s very important not to miss anything.
So, in summary, I’d say the answer to this question really depends on your definition of what’s easy. Enjoying what you do is, I think, a big factor in making any job easier though.
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Anna Williams answered on 21 Jun 2011:
Hi 10mdleo,
I’m glad that you’ve come back for more answers after today’s chat!
Sue has given a great answer – yes, it does depend on your definition of ‘easy’.
I would definitely not say my job was easy – it takes a lot of concentration at times (it can be very laborious and methodical work looking over tiny fragments of bone for example), and a lot of working late into the night (at crime scenes, or preparing presentations or lectures, or grant applications for deadlines), or hard brain work (trying to understand complex processes and the effects on these that little changes make, for example), but what makes it a lot better is recognition from students and colleagues; getting articles published or doing presentations; or providing useful information to the police that really helps the investigation; and the fact that I love it! That makes it much more enjoyable!! -
Richard Case answered on 21 Jun 2011:
Hello again 10mdleo!
If being a forensic scientist was easy then you wouldn’t need the amount of training and education that is involved.
Some of the principles of the work, like for instance fingerprints, where you are matching patterns does sound quite easy…. and it can be if the criminal was kind enough to leave a full set of his prints at a crime scene.
Unfortunately it doesn’t happen like that, and it can often take hours to find a little piece of the persons fingerprint to match them to the crime scene… this is not just based on knowledge, but also on a lot of experience.
Also, there is a huge amount of responsibility involved.. you must remember that your decision could send someone to prison, so that has put more pressure to getting things right.
So my answer is.. its not easy, but with more knowledge and experience you can get the job done “easier”.
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Craig McKenzie answered on 21 Jun 2011:
hi 10mdleo, it’s a good question and i’m sorry we didn’t get to chat properly this afternoon by the way, i was typing madly away on other questions. Like the others here, i love my job so that really helps me when things get tough – because even if it is sometimes very hard i couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
I agree with Sue that the idea of what is difficult in a job changes over time. Sometimes it is good when things are easy but i like to stretch myself a little otherwise i get a little bored if a job is always easy. In the last few weeks I have been trying to develop a new chemical test in the laboratory and things didn’t seem to be working properly which was very difficult. I then sat down and thought very hard and logically about what I was seeing and i found there were two or three errors all on top of each other. once i understood them i could fix them and now the method is really easy. Which is good as I have some samples arriving soon to be analysed and i have to talk about the method at a conference in August!- i feel relieved and satisfied that i managed to figure it out using my scientific skills!
Like Sue I found it very difficult when i first became a forensic scientist but it got easier as I found my way like anything in life. It was very different to the science i had done before and i felt that i had to go back to basics which is quite a difficult thing to do sometimes. I didn’t find the science difficult at first but i did find the way things were done difficult. But all the training and the hard work was definitely worth it. Forensic science teaches you lots of life skills – not just the skills you need in the lab – and it’s a job in which you have to constantly check what you are doing and to question yourself and your colleagues. If we got something wrong or missed something it could have serious consequences either for ourselves, the companies we work for or the victims and perpetrators of crime.
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