The Maine State Police Crime Laboratory, which was created in 1926, provides forensic services to all law enforcement agencies working in the State of Maine. Using state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation, the forensic scientists of the Crime Laboratory compare evidence collected from crime scenes through its four sections:
- Forensic Chemistry
- Forensic Biology
- Firearms/Toolmarks
- Latent Prints
Forensic scientists in Maine conduct scientific analyses in the following forensic disciplines:
- DNA analysis
- Fingerprint and palm print comparisons and identification
- Fire debris analysis
- Firearms examinations
- Footwear and tire comparisons and identification
- Gunshot residue and distance determination
- Physical matching comparisons and identification
- Serial number and VIN restoration
- Serological screening and bodily fluid identification
- Toolmark examinations
- Trace evidence identification and comparison
Forensic Science Colleges Located in Maine
Forensic science degrees prepare students to become forensic scientists who are called upon to examine and evaluate physical evidence using instrumental, chemical and physical methods of analysis. Both undergraduate and graduate degrees in forensic science prepare students to serve as expert witnesses in court hearings and conduct research on new technologies, equipment, and techniques.
Undergraduate Level – A bachelor’s degree in forensic science provides students with competency in the following areas:
- Crime scene processing
- Evidence documentation and preservation
- Justice system
- Presumption and confirmatory testing of forensic samples
- Judicial and courtroom procedures
- Research and analytical methods
Course coursework in a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science program reflects these areas of study:
- Chemistry lab
- Biology lab
- Criminal procedure
- Criminal law
- Organic chemistry
- Investigations
- Criminalistics
- Probability and Statistics
- Introduction to Ethics
- Microbiology
- Ethics in Criminal Justice
- Evidence
- Analytical Chemistry
- Computer Forensics
- Biochemistry
Graduate Level – Students seeking specialized training in the field of forensic science commonly seek a Master’s in Forensic Science. Some of the tracks within a master’s degree include: toxicology, drug analysis, forensic anthropology, forensic medicine, criminalistics, biological evidence, and forensic DNA analysis, among others.
Coursework in a Master’s in Forensic Science may therefore include:
- Advanced criminalistics
- Applied statistics for data analysis
- Biological evidence and serology
- Biosecurity and microbial forensics
- Environmental forensics
- Forensic analysis of DNA
- Forensic genetics
- Forensic immunology
- Forensic medicine
- Forensic toxicology
- Principles of forensic science
- Special topics in forensic analysis
Basic Requirements to Become a Forensic Scientist in Maine
Individuals who want to learn how to become a forensic scientist at an entry level must possess a bachelor of science in one of the following fields:
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Medical laboratory science
- Molecular biology
Individuals who want to achieve forensic scientist jobs in DNA analysis must also complete coursework in the following:
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
- Molecular biology
- Statistics/Population genetics