Is a qualification in Forensic Science necessary?
What sort of work would a person employed in the Laboratory do?
What types of crime investigation is the Laboratory involved in?
What types of scientific tests are used in the Laboratory?
Is a qualification in Forensic Science necessary?
No. There is no forensic science laboratory in Europe that requires a qualification in forensic science for employment there, as all laboratories will wish to train staff in their own techniques. However, it is possible to obtain a primary degree in analytical science and forensic science in places such as Limerick Institute of Technology, the Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street and Strathclyde University, Scotland where postgraduate diplomas and a Masters degree in forensic science can also be attained. Kings College London, among others, also offers a Masters degree in forensic science.
What sort of work would a person employed in the Laboratory do?
Typically, an analyst would work closely with a scientist on particular cases and would also take responsibility for certain areas of general laboratory work.
A scientist would take full responsibility for the scientific work required in a criminal case. The job thus involves analytical laboratory work using quite a wide range of instrumental techniques. The scientist would then write a report on the results for the Gardaí and the Director of Public Prosecutions. The scientist would frequently present the work orally to a court and defend that work under legal cross-examination. Some time could also be spent attending at crime scenes and lecturing to Gardaí on the work of the laboratory.
What types of crime investigation is the Laboratory involved in?
The laboratory is involved in the investigation of murders, assaults, sexual offences, armed robbery, firearm offences, drugs offences, criminal damage, arson, explosives, hit and run traffic accidents, fraud and any other offences where physical evidence occurs. In 2010 it is projected that the Laboratory will examine approximately 15,000 cases, the bulk of which will consist of suspected drug cases.
What types of scientific tests are used in the Laboratory?
The laboratory uses light microscopy, comparison microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrophoresis, DNA profiling, infra-red spectroscopy (including FTIR-microscopy), thin layer chromatography (TLC), high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillary column gas chromatography (GC), GC/ITD, GC-mass spectrometry, microspectrophotometry, UV spectroscopy, x-ray fluorescence and a variety of chemical screening tests.