How to Become a Ballistics Expert

We have all seen them in many movies. A dead person by gun shot, and after some crime scene investigation, there is an expert who is able to tell the kind of firearm and ammunition used by the shooter. Well, the genius is a forensic ballistics expert! Read these to learn more about what it takes to break into this profession.

Forensic Ballistics Experts Do

Their main duties include:

• Visiting a crime scene to gather evidence > this may include spent cartridges, spent shell casings, and slugs.
• Taking photographs of the crime scene.
• Analyzing the evidence in a forensic laboratory > from the analysis, they can tell the predictable distance between the shooter and the victim, the angle of the shot, as well as the riffling pattern.
• Using computer programs to map or remake the crime scene.
• Writing a comprehensive reports of their analyses.

Work Environment

A full time forensic ballistic experts may be called in at any time to gather evidence from a crime scene. On the other hand, experts who run their own forensic laboratories have more control over their hours.

Regardless of work schedule, experts perform most of the duties in a laboratory environment, where they interface with microscopes, chemicals and computers.

Requirements

Become a forensic ballistics expert, you should earn a bachelor’s degree in forensic science or investigative forensics. Besides improving your understanding of the principals of physics, biology and chemistry, the degree also qualify you with the knowledge of:

• Evidence handling
• Wound ballistics
• Firearms naming
• Microscopy
• Crime scene seeking

Important Qualities

• Exceptional investigative skills
• Powerful critical-thinking and problem-solving skills
• An hungriness for small details
• Powerful laboratory skills
• Powerful analytical skills
• Strong report-writing skills
• Strong presentation and speaking skills
• Strong observation skills
• Strong computer skills
• Emotional strength to work effectively in terrible crime scenes
• Strong practical and technical skills
• An fascinate in enhancing law enforcement

With broad experience and advanced credentials, you can be a lead ballistics expert in a law enforcement agency. You could also into private practice by creating a ballistics consulting firm.