Crime & Deviance: Career Information

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences is a multi-disciplinary professional organization that provides leadership to advance science and its application to the legal system. The objectives of the Academy are to promote professionalism, integrity, competency, education, foster research, improve practice, and encourage collaboration in the forensic sciences.

The ABC program is based in large part on the work done by the Criminalistics Certification Study Committee (CCSC). From 1975 to 1979, there were more than 25 individuals from all regions of the U.S. and Canada who were active in the CCSC. They represented many disciplines, all regional associations, and a diverse array of laboratories. They studied and deliberated over the problems associated with testing and certification, and surveyed the profession on its views. Despite an affirmative vote of almost 50% for their program by the members of professional associations polled, no certification program was implemented by the CCSC.

ABMDI certifies individuals who have the proven knowledge and skills necessary to perform medicolegal death investigations as set forth in the National Institutes of Justice 1999 publication Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator

The International Crime Scene Investigators Association was created to assist law enforcement personnel who are involved in the processing of crime scenes.