Crime Scene Investigator Resources

Resources for Students and CSIs in the Field

Whether you are a new CSI, a veteran, or someone just starting out in your csi education, you will need access to other professionals and publications on a regular basis to stay fresh, share experience and knowledge, and connect with your peers. Our comprehensive list of resources is available for anyone in the CSI industry, from ballistics experts to technicians, those who work in the lab or those who spend time in the field. As a student, you can gain experience from those who have been in the industry for a long time, and as a veteran, those new to the industry can provide a fresh outlook and a new eye to concepts you use on a daily basis.

National and International Associations

American Academy of Forensic Sciences

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences is a professional organization providing leadership to science and its role in the legal system through conferences and collaboration.

Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners

The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners, founded in 1969, is the international professional organization for Firearm and/or Toolmark practitioners, holding seminars and sharing information to further the profession.

North American Forensic Entomology Association

The North American Forensic Entomology Association grew out of a conference of national and international forensic entomologists with six key objectives to further the field of entomology in the criminal justice system.

International Association for Identification

The International Association for Identification is the oldest and biggest forensic association in the world, hosting an annual conference, certifications, committees, trainings and resources for its members.

 

American Board of Criminalistics

The ABC is comprised of national and regional organizations who represent forensic scientists. They establish professional levels of skills, knowledge, provide testing and certification.

National Center of Forensic Science

The National Center of Forensic Science is located at the University of Central Florida and works with the criminal justice program to provide to provide relevant and responsive forensic science research.

International Crime Scene Investigators Association

The ICSIA has membership and certification for those actively involved with or associated with positions who process crime scenes. They offer tips on becoming a CSI and access to others in the field for collaboration.

 

International Association of Forensic Nurses

IAFN is comprised of over 4,700 nurses who are practicing forensic science in over 26 countries worldwide. This organization offers certifications and an online learning.

International Assoc. of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

The IABPA encourages education and promotes training with high educational standards. They also offer in depth training on blood stain pattern analysis.

International Association of Arson Investigators

The International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) is comprised of over 9,000 fire investigation professionals whose main goal is to suppress the crime of arson.

 

Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences

Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences is made up of forensic alcohol scientists from across Canada. The study matters that pertain to drinking alcohol and driving motor vehicles.

AOAC International

AOAC International is an analytical science program that publishes basic and applied research in the analytical sciences that pertains to foods, drugs and alcohol.

 

Association of Firearm and Tool marks Examiners

The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners is also known as AFTE and offers six-day-long trainings \ all across North America. AFTE quarterly publishes a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations

Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations is comprised of 6 groups that represent more than twenty one thousand forensic science specialists within the USA.

American Board of Forensic Toxicology

The American Board of Forensic Toxicology has a primary purpose of providing certification to forensic toxicologists and accreditation for laboratories providing forensic services.

Association of Forensic DNA Analysts & Admins

The Association of Forensic DNA Analysts and Administrators is a nonprofit organization made up of DNA analysts, supervisors and administrators. They meet twice a year to disseminate information and share ideas.

 

International Association of Forensic Toxicologists

The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists was founded in 1963 to promote cooperation and coordination among their members to encourage research in the field of forensic toxicology.

Society of Forensic Toxicologists

The Society of Forensic Toxicologists is a nonprofit professional organization whose members include practicing forensic toxicologists and other interested parties and their events include workshops, newsletters and more.

Association for Women in Forensic Science

The Association for Women in Forensic Science has a mission of commitment to inclusion, advancement and recognition of women within the forensic sciences field.

American Board of Forensic Anthropology

The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists was founded in 1963 to promote cooperation and coordination among their members to encourage research in the field of forensic toxicology.

American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors

The ASCLD is a professional society for forensic science managers and crime lab directors to foster professional interests, maintain and improve communication between crime lab directors, encourage high standards in the field and more.

National Forensic Science Technology Center

The National Forensic Science Technology Center is located in Largo, Florida and works to improve the forensic science practices within the US and worldwide locally and with military.

National Association of Medical Examiners

The National Association of Medical Examiners is located near Kansas City Missouri. NAME offers conferences in regards to forensic pathology and death investigations.

American Society of Questioned Document Examiners

American Society of Questioned Document Examiners is currently the oldest and largest organization in the world dedicated to the profession of forensic document examination.

Intl. Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners

The IACME is one of the fastest growing coroner and medical examiner’s organization in the United States and offers 80 years of experience in the presentation of educational seminars.

Forensic Science Society

Forensic Science Society  contains roughly 3,000 members in 60 countries world wide. CSFS aims to be the platform to support Quality Management with the establishment of two certificates.

Council of Forensic Science Educators

CFSE aims to educate students that are seeking careers within the forensic science industry and to help them achieve the highest academic standards for their programs.

Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers

The Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers is also referred to as AFQAM. AFQAM strives to promote quality assurance management for the forensic community.

State and Regional Associations

Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists

The Southwestern Association of Forensic Scientists meets at conferences to exchange information among forensic scientists to improve techniques and review latest discoveries.

Southern Association of Forensic Science

SAFS is comprised of members who have given expert testimony in some type of court in the criminal justice system. Members also may have advanced the cause of forensic science.

New Jersey Association of Forensic Science

The New Jersey Association of Forensic Science consists of forensic scientists, students, associates and other academics from New Jersey and surrounding states.

Northwest Association of Forensic Scientists

The Northwest Association of Forensic Scientists was founded in 1972 in Spokane, Washington, and is now a community of professionals who share information, solve problems and stimulate research and development of new techniques.

Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists

The Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists or better known as MAAFS organization encourages the exchange and dissemination of ideas pertaining to forensic sciences.

Northeastern Association of Forensic Science

The Northeastern Association of Forensic Science hosts conferences on faulty forensic results and how to provide accurate results that will not result in wrongful convictions.

California Association of Criminalistics

The California Association of Criminalistics is based out of California and emphasizes the field of Criminalistics. They hope for cooperation among laboratory personnel.

Wisconsin Association for Identification

The Wisconsin Association for Identification hosts a conference, seminars and provides educational information to those in the law enforcement community to encourage the highest standards of evidence management.

Publications

The Forensic Teacher Magazine

The Forensic Teacher Magazine is a free, subscription-based magazine that forensic educators trust. It features a how-to section as well as interesting stories and labs with activities.

Journal of Forensic Science

Journal of Forensic Science is a digital subscription that is available as a member and non-member based subscription. This journal goes over academy news and proceedings.

Journal of Forensic Research

Journal of Forensic Research is an online journal manuscript submission program that has over twenty-five thousand readers enjoying releases.

IEEE Transactions on Info Forensics and Security

IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security discusses sciences, technologies, and applications relating to information forensics.

Forensic Science International: Genetics

Forensic Science International: Genetics promotes scientific knowledge on a global scale in the field of genetic markers analyzed for forensic purposes.

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine proudly publishes articles related to forensic and legal medicine that can further information within the civil justice system.

Forensic Toxicology

Forensic Toxicology makes it easier to browse through publications pertaining to substance and toxicology based science.

Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology

Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology offers automatic annual renewal of the online publication subscription services that relate to medicine, science and pathology.

Forensic Magazine

The Forensic Magazine goes over evidence collection, exonerations, digital forensics, death penalty information and crime lab and in-depth crime scene information.

Forensic Science International

FSI is one of the most influential contributions across the forensic sciences because it offers cutting edge information on forensic pathology and histochemistry and chemistry

Environmental Forensics

Environmental Forensics is an international journal that goes over environmental contaminations and provides a forum for scientific investigations that address contamination.

American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology

American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology publishes four releases yearly and discusses cases from leading forensic pathologists, lawyers, and criminologists.

Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology

Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology is a devoted publication that writes about psychiatry and psychological knowledge.

Science and Justice Journal - Forensic Science Society

Science and Justice appreciates the amount of debates that can be sparked through scientific discoveries and publishes articles with well reviewed scientific information.

Journal of Forensic Identification

JFI publishes well reviewed and cross examined articles for scientific professionals seeking information pertaining to forensics.

Research

Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research

Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research is comprised of a highly skilled team of research scientists, program managers, technical and administrative support staff.

Center for Forensic Science Research and Education

The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education publishes critical reports in the field of scientific research.

Science Daily

Science Daily goes over cutting-edge scientific advancements and DNA-related evidence to help settle civil cases.

 

 

Support for Forensic Science Research

Support for Forensic Science Research was established in 1975 and was established to assist in resolving scientific controversies.

National Institute of Justice Publication

National Institute of Justice Publication hopes to advance scientific research, development and evaluation.

Center for Advanced Research in Forensic Science

CARFS helps academic forensic researchers and industrial partners to commercialize tools that benefit the scientific community.

Present and Past Conferences

71st Annual Scientific Meeting

The AAFS keeps a running list of all meetings and conferences from now and through the next four years, including conferences in Seattle in 2022 and Denver in 2024.

European Academy of Forensic Science Conference

EAFS 2018 was held in Lyon, France and was the 8th European Academy of Forensic Science Conference.

Forensics at NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has a list of upcoming conferences related to the topic of forensic science along with a large list of past conferences with abstracts and presentations.

Internet Crimes Against Children

The ICAC holds annual conferences on a national, regional and state level that are helpful to those looking to learn the latest methods in child protection.

University of Central Oklahoma Forensic Science Curriculum Training

The Forensic Science Institute at the University of Oklahoma offers an annual training to 15 participants and includes many forensic science disciplines in the training including DNA and blood stain pattern analysis and digital forensics.

CSI and Forensic Science Program

Summer program for gifted middle school students to learn about CSI at Michigan State University. The program is usually held for one week in the summer.

International Conference in Forensic Research and Technology

The Third International Conference on Forensic Research and Technology will be held in 2020 in a virtual format.

Annual IAI International Forensic Educational Conference

The Annual IAI International Forensic Educational Conference is scheduled in a different city with a list of all conferences from now through 2024.

Science Federation

The Scientific Federation has a large collection of events coming up  and some may be of interest to forensic science professionals.

International Crime Scene Investigators Association

The ICSIA holds an annual conference on Crime Scene Investigation. Keep an eye on their site for an announcement about the next event.

Certifications

IAI Forensic Certification

The International Association for Identification offers certifications in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis, Crime Scene Certifications, Footwear, Latent Print, Tenprint and much more.

American Board of Criminalistics Certification

The American Board of Criminalistics offers certifications in the following areas: Comprehensive Criminalistics, Drug Analysis, Fire Debris Analysis, Molecular Biology, Hair and more.

International CSI Association

The ICSIA offers the Forensic Crime Scene Investigator’s Training and Certification that law enforcement can use to set the standard for how they process a crime scene.

International Associations of Forensic Nurses

The International Association of Forensic Nurses offers a SANE-A and SANE-P certification for nurses dealing with assault victims.

Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board

The Forensic Specialties Accreditation Board is not a certifying body, but rather an accreditation board that can assess, recognize and monitor organizations.

American Board of Forensic Toxicology

The American Board of Forensic Toxicology offers certification in Fellow, Diplomate and Analyst levels for Toxicology and Alcohol and/or Drug Toxicology.

The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners

The AFTE offers a certification and recertification program for all Firearm and Toolmark Examiners to set a standard and procedure for their operations.