Crime Scene Certification Program.

Administered in Wisconsin by the Wisconsin Association for Identification
A Chartered Division of the International Association for Identification

In response to requests from governmental and judicial agencies for a means of identifying qualified professionals, the International Association for Identification established several certification programs. One of these is a Crime Scene Certification Board. This board is analogous in purpose, function and organization to certifying boards in many other specialties. In the State of Wisconsin, testing for the certification program is administered by the Wisconsin Association for Identification, Crime Scene Certification Committee. The certification is structured in three levels; Level I - Crime Scene Technician (CST), Level II - Crime Scene Analyst (CSA), and Level III – Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst (SCSA).

Although certification as a Crime Scene Technician (CST), Crime Scene Analyst (CSA), or Senior Crime Scene Analyst (SCSA) by the I A I Crime Scene Certification Board is not necessary to be an admirable analyst, it is a benchmark of one's qualifications. Attaining the title of Certified Crime Scene Technician or Analyst does not come without some cost and effort. Considerable time is necessary to study and review the recommended texts in preparation for the examination. Review of the endorsed texts should not be taken lightly, since the examination is very comprehensive. There is, however, a feeling of professional accomplishment to have voluntarily submitted to an examination by one's peers and successfully met the requirements for certification.

L. Thomas Johnson, Chairman
Wisconsin Association for Identification
Crime Scene Certification Committee
johnson@thewai.org

For more information including application forms for certification, visit the IAI's website

REQUIREMENTS FOR IAI CRIME SCENE CERTIFICATION effective March 30, 2007

General Qualifications

An applicant for certification must be of good moral character, high integrity, and good repute and must possess high ethical professional standing.
Tri-Level Certification

Applicants may apply for certification at any level if the applicant meets the requirements as listed below. It should be noted that for initial certification, hours will be used to calculate the figures, and credits used to calculate the recertification figures.

Level 1 – Certified Crime Scene Investigator (CSI)
1. Must have a minimum of one (1) year in crime scene related activities.
2. Must have completed a minimum of 48 hours of Crime Scene Certification Board approved instruction in crime scene related courses within the last five (5) years.
Level 2 – Certified Crime Scene Analyst (CSA)
1. Must have a minimum of three (3) years in crime scene related activities.
2. Must have completed a minimum of 96 hours of Crime Scene Certification Board approved instruction in crime scene related courses within the last five (5) years.
Level 3 – Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst (SCSA)
1. Must have a minimum of six (6) years in crime scene related activities.
2. Must have completed a minimum of 144 hours of Crime Scene Certification Board approved instruction in crime scene related courses within the last five (5) years. AND one of the following;
  1. Must have authored or coauthored an article on some phase of crime scene investigation published in a professional journal OR;
  2. Made a presentation on some phase of crime scene investigation to a professional organization, OR;
  3. Be an active instructor in some phase of crime scene investigation who is currently teaching at least once a year, OR;
  4. Submit a court transcript from an actual case in which the applicant gave testimony on some phase of crime scene investigation.

Initial In-house Training:

Upon approval by the Crime Scene Certification Board, an agency's structured training program hours may be reciprocated for portions of or for the amount of required hours of instruction for the applied Level.

Continuing Education/Professional Development Hours:

The topics that qualify in the area of crime scene approved training are as listed below. The Crime Scene Certification Board, on request, will consider other topics:
Alternate Light Source Training
Arson Investigations
Blood Pattern Analysis
Clandestine Lab Training
Collection & Preservation of Evidence
Courtroom Testimony
Crime Scene Documentation
Crime Scene Investigations
Crime Scene Photography
Crime Scene Reconstruction
Death Investigations
Evidence Photography
Footwear and Tire Tread
Forensic Anthropology
Forensic Archeology
Forensic Odontology
Latent Print Detection/Comparison
Post Blast Investigations
Report Writing
Rules of Evidence
Sex Crime Investigations
Traffic Accident Investigations
Underwater/Subsurface search and recovery

Testing

In addition to the listed requirements for each level the applicant must successfully pass a written test with a minimum score of 75%. All written tests are graded and recorded on a pass/fail basis only. (Numerical scores are not provided)

The tests will be taken from publications selected by the Crime Scene
1. In addition to the listed requirements for each level the applicant must successfully pass a written test with a minimum score of 75%. All written tests are graded and recorded on a pass/fail basis only. (Numerical scores are not provided)
  1. The tests will be taken from publications selected by the Crime Scene Certification Board. The titles will be published and the Board may not change them for a minimum of three (3) years.
  2. These texts supersede any practice or agency directives for certification testing purposes.
  3. Questions and time
    1. CCSI: 200 questions with a time limit of 3 hours
    2. CCSA: 300 questions with a time limit of 4 hours
    3. CSCSA: 400 questions with a time limit of 5 hours

TEST MATERIAL PUBLICATIONS (August 1, 2008)
1. Certified Crime Scene Investigator (CCSI)

Crime Scene Photography by Edward Robinson, 2007, Elsevier Science & Technology Books (Available at: Elsevier.com, Evident Crime Scene Products, Lynn Peavey Company, Amazon.com, LexisNexis.com, Overstock.com (May not have the book all the time))
Practical Crime Scene Processing and Investigation by Ross M. Gardner, 2005, CRC Press (Available at: CRC Press, Lynn Peavey Company, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Books-A-Million)

Certified Crime Scene Analyst (CCSA)

Certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst (CSCSA)

*Please Note: This selection of vendors is only a small representation of the many companies that have the textbooks. Should one of the IAI sponsors wish to have their web site address added, contact the Secretary of the CSCB.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
1. Application forms may be obtained from:

International Association for Identification
2535 Pilot Knob Road, Suite 117
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1120

All applicants for certification must submit two (2) letters of endorsement. If the applicant is employed by a public law enforcement agency, one letter shall be from a superior within the applicant’s department or agency and one shall be from an associate in the field of crime scene investigations and who is a member of either a state or regional division and/or the parent body.

The completed application, with supporting documentation to include two (2) recent photographs, one additional copy of all submitted paperwork application, and the application fee of $150.00 (Not Refundable) shall be forwarded to the:
International Association for Identification
Crime Scene Certification Board
2535 Pilot Knob Road, Suite 117
Mendota Heights, MN 55120-1120