April 22, 2009 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Forensic science technicians

Forensics work involves applying scientific or other specialized knowledge to questions and issues related to the law. Job duties fall into two basic categories: analyzing evidence and acting as expert witnesses in legal proceedings.

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Forensic science technician is a broad occupational title that encompasses many forensic specialties. Forensic science technicians collect, identify, classify, and analyze evidence for criminal investigations. Some examples are firearm and toolmark examiners, forensic document examiners, forensic toxicologists, and latent print examiners.

Forensic science technicians held about 12,030 wage and salary jobs and earned a median annual wage of $47,680 in May 2007.

These data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program. To learn more about work in forensics, see "Careers in forensics: Analysis, evidence, and law," by Elka Maria Torpey, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Spring 2009.