From long days in the lab to going out to the crime scene and collecting fingerprints in the best way to preserve the print. Fingerprint examiners take a print and find every little detail within to best compare one fingerprint to another. Testifying findings in court as an expert eyewitness. Examiners work to make sure that the correct people are put in jail for the crime that they have committed as well and some even work to keep innocents out of jail or free them from incarceration. Through looking at the fine details knowing that everyone has a unique set of fingerprints, even twins and triplets all have unique sets of fingerprints to be able to be identified from.
Duties include but are not limited to
Collecting and labeling prints that are collected from a crime scene
Preserving the collected samples
Analyzing the prints
Testifying in court
Use both national and international databases to best narrow down suspects in a case.
According to a blog released by Grand Canyon University, there are various degrees that one can get to continue with this career. (GCU)
The degrees one can use:
Forensic Science
Biology
Chemistry
Criminal Justice
Also the requirements per company/ position that place may be different at each place.
Various cities and counties
St. Louis
Chicago
Private Labs
Federal Labs
Attention to Detail
Math and Science Skills
Patience
Computer Science
Speaking Skills
AFIS (Automatic Fingerprint Identification System)
Salary ranges a lot and all depends on training and education as well as location since many cities have a variety of crime rates. Above is a Bar Graph from Zippa about the average yearly income in the United States as of 2021.
There are always places hiring fingerprint examiners, and the job keeps growing as the years go on. The job is expecting an 11% increase from 2018 to 2028. (Zippa)
If becoming a fingerprint analyst does not work out there is a variety of other specializations that one can do. Some examples are in the following list.
Crime Scene Analysis
Evidence Technician
DNA Analyst
Questioned Documents Examiner
Ballistics Examiner
Forensic Investigator
Works Cited:
“Become a Fingerprint Analyst: Requirements, Job Description & Salary.” Learn.org, learn.org/articles/become_a_fingerprint_analyst_requirements_job_description_salary.html#:~:text=Fingerprint%20analysts%20typically%20spend%20most. Accessed 31 Oct. 2023.
“DEA Fingerprint Specialist Jobs and Salary.” Www.drugenforcementedu.org, 18 Apr. 2013, www.drugenforcementedu.org/careers/dea-fingerprint-specialist/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2023.
“Here’s How to Become a Latent Fingerprint Examiner in 2021.” Www.zippia.com, 2 Oct. 2020, www.zippia.com/latent-fingerprint-examiner-jobs/. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.
“How to Become a Fingerprint Analyst.” GCU, Grand Canyon University , 26 Mar. 2021, www.gcu.edu/blog/criminal-justice-government-and-public-administration/how-become-fingerprint-analyst. Accessed 7 Nov. 2023.