Do you like solving puzzles? If you do, did you know that some people solve puzzles for a  living? Have you heard the term CSI? It is a science that helps law enforcement solve crimes. A crime scene is full of clues waiting to speak, but how does CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) help law enforcement understand what the scene is saying? Forensic scientists search for the truth and help solve crimes. Some of those crimes include murder, theft, bank robberies and even traffic accidents. What job could be more satisfying than solving puzzles that big?

The first thing that needs to be done at a crime scene is to secure it. This means keeping people out of the area to protect the evidence. A lot of the times this means roping off an area using a yellow tape with the words “crime scene" or it may say “police line, do not cross.” Protecting the scene is important because a single footprint                                                                                                                                                    smudged or a fingerprint wiped away could erase an answer about the crime forever. By carefully controlling the scene, CSI teams make sure the evidence stays honest, untouched, and ready to tell its part of the story.

Next comes observation and documentation, which is a fancy way of saying, “look closely and remember everything.” Photographs are taken from every angle, notes are written, and sketches are drawn. This step may seem slow, but it is powerful. Science depends on accuracy, not guesses. Then the real treasure hunt begins with talking to witnesses and collecting evidence. Fibers, fingerprints, DNA, blood spatter and even dust can become key pieces of the puzzle. Investigators will pick up scattered pieces of evidence and bag each one separately. You wouldn’t guess what could be important. It could be a blade of grass, drugs, hair or even a fingernail.

Everything from the crime scene is taken to a lab where many tests are done. Some big police departments have their own lab, but smaller places have to send the evidence to other places to get tested. Sometimes the lab is big enough to have hundreds of employees that do all sorts of jobs. There are lab technicians, DNA analysts and forensic scientists. Their job is to go over every piece of evidence that was sent to them. They are able to scientifically get the evidence to solve a crime.

CSI experts can make all the pieces come together to tell the story of what really happened. They separate truth from lies and accidents from crimes. This kind of investigation protects the innocent and strengthens cases against the guilty. CSI uses evidence, logic, and careful reasoning to solve crimes. It may take years to solve a crime but science can definitely help.