Forensics | ĢƵ /area-of-study/forensics Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:13:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.5 /wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cropped-ĢƵUniversity-Icon-FullColor-32x32.png Forensics | ĢƵ /area-of-study/forensics 32 32 Mental Health and Criminal Justice: Inside the Crisis, the Science, and the Careers Changing Both /blog/mental-health-and-criminal-justice Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:12:49 +0000 /?p=14538 In 2023, more than 44% of people held in local U.S. jails reported having a history of a mental health condition, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Among women in jail, that figure rose to nearly 69%.[1] In many communities, the criminal justice system has become one of the largest points of contact for […]

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]]> AI and Crime: How Algorithms Are Reshaping the Criminal Justice System /blog/ai-and-crime Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:12:45 +0000 /?p=14524 In February 2024, Chicago ended its contract with ShotSpotter, an AI-powered system designed to detect and locate gunfire.[1] While supporters argued that the technology helped police respond more quickly to potential shootings, critics questioned whether algorithm-driven tools should influence public safety decisions. Today, AI tools are being used throughout the criminal justice pipeline. The appeal […]

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]]> How Long Does It Take to Become a Crime Scene Investigator? A Timeline for Aspiring CSIs /blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-crime-scene-investigator Thu, 24 Jul 2025 09:54:50 +0000 /blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-crime-scene-investigator Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Miss Marple—fiction gave us detectives who cracked every case with their famous intuition. However, real-life crime scene investigators (CSIs) rely on the more grounded principles of time and training to hone their craft. If you are considering a future in this field, your first question is likely practical: […]

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]]> What is the Difference Between Forensic Psychology vs. Psychology? /blog/forensic-psychology-vs-psychology Thu, 24 Jul 2025 09:49:04 +0000 /blog/forensic-psychology-vs-psychology Coming from the Greek psyche (meaning ”soul”) and logos (meaning “study”), psychology could easily be misunderstood as a purely spiritual pursuit.1 In its earliest form, it was. For centuries, the study of the “soul” remained within philosophy and theology, but that changed when Wilhelm Wundt set up the first psychology lab at the University of […]

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]]> CSI vs. Forensic Scientist: Which Role Matches Your Skills and Passions? /blog/csi-vs-forensic-scientist Thu, 24 Jul 2025 09:43:44 +0000 /blog/csi-vs-forensic-scientist CSI and forensic science, pop culture have blurred the lines between these two terms. While professionals in both careers make valuable contributions to the criminal justice system, CSI and forensic science remain two distinct disciplines. What is the difference between a CSI vs. forensic scientist? Below, we break down the roles, responsibilities, and training paths […]

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]]> Crime Scene Technician vs. Crime Scene Investigator: What is the Difference? /blog/crime-scene-technician-vs-crime-scene-investigator Thu, 24 Jul 2025 09:39:45 +0000 /blog/crime-scene-technician-vs-crime-scene-investigator A home is broken into. On television, this crime scene may resolve in under an hour, and the same character might dust for fingerprints, interrogate suspects, and present evidence in court. However, reality is different. While officers secure the scene, two professionals get to work: one photographs the shattered window and collects trace evidence from […]

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]]> How to Become a Crime Scene Technician in 5 Steps /blog/how-to-become-a-crime-scene-technician Thu, 24 Jul 2025 09:29:51 +0000 /blog/how-to-become-a-crime-scene-technician When a cold murder case from 1978 was reopened in 2008, the careful work of a crime technician reignited the investigation. Laura Casey, a senior technician in Omaha, matched prints collected decades earlier against the FBI’s fingerprint database, leading to a breakthrough in under five hours—and, ultimately, justice.1 As you can see, crime scene technicians […]

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]]> How to Become a Criminal Profiler /blog/how-to-become-a-criminal-profiler Thu, 18 Jul 2024 06:37:04 +0000 /blog/how-to-become-a-criminal-profiler Hit TV shows like “Criminal Minds” and “Law & Order” put criminal profilers on the cultural map and sparked widespread interest in one of the most intriguing professions in criminal justice. But the act of analyzing criminal behavior began long before David Rossi made his debut on national television. Informal criminal profiling dates as far […]

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]]> MS in Forensic Science, Investigation, & Technology /science-investigation-technology/ms-forensic-science-investigation-technology Wed, 19 Jun 2024 09:19:01 +0000 /program/ms-6 Forensic Science, Investigation, & Technology Overview The Master of Science, Forensic Science, Investigation, & Technology is dedicated to graduating forensic science practitioners who contribute to a just world. Through lectures, case studies, simulations, and labs, students receive practical education and training in the principles and ethics of contemporary forensic science techniques. This online master degree […]

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]]> Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Maribel Tapia /community-highlights/alumni-spotlight-qa-maribel-tapia Wed, 27 Sep 2023 03:45:27 +0000 /community-highlights/alumni-spotlight-qa-maribel-tapia Alumni Spotlight: Q&A with Maribel “Mari” Tapia California School of Forensic Studies at ĢƵ Master of Science in Forensic Behavioral Science, Online Program Professional Information Crime Analyst at the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Q: How did your ĢƵ experience prepare you for your career path? A: My experience at ĢƵ prepared me for my […]

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]]> Why Do People Commit Crimes? (Nine Reasons) /blog/why-do-people-commit-crimes Fri, 22 Sep 2023 09:07:19 +0000 /blog/why-do-people-commit-crimes Whether you’re interested in law and psychology careers or simply curious about human behavior, you might be wondering: Why do people commit crimes? Motivations for crime are highly complex, and they’re the subject of much research in the forensic psychology field. For instance, students pursuing their MS in forensic behavioral science spend ample time analyzing […]

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]]> 4 Law and Psychology Careers to Pursue /blog/law-and-psychology-careers Wed, 20 Sep 2023 04:58:15 +0000 /blog/law-and-psychology-careers If you’re a fan of “CSI” or “Criminal Minds,” then you might be familiar with forensic psychology. However, there’s more to this field than lie detectors and body language readings. Forensic psychology is a dynamic, expansive, and fulfilling study encompassing various skills—and careers. Forensic psychology may be your ideal career field if you’re passionate about […]

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