Identifying the skills and attributes of good crime scene personnel

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Professionalism in Crime Scene Examination:
Recruitment Strategies Using the Seven Key
Attributes of Top Crime Scene Examiners
Sally F. Kelty
To cite this article: Sally F. Kelty (2011) Professionalism in Crime Scene Examination:
Recruitment Strategies Using the Seven Key Attributes of Top Crime Scene Examiners,
Forensic Science Policy & Management: An International Journal, 2:4, 198-204, DOI:
10.1080/19409044.2012.706689
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Forensic Science Policy & Management, 2: 198–204, 2011
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ISSN: 1940-9044 print / 1940-9036 online
DOI: 10.1080/19409044.2012.706689
Professionalism in Crime Scene Examination: Recruitment Strategies
Using the Seven Key Attributes of Top Crime Scene Examiners
Sally F. Kelty
Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies (TILES), Hobart, Tasmania
Abstract Hiring well is crucial for law enforcement/forensic science agencies. Recruiting high-caliber
forensic personnel, such as effective crime scene examiners (CSEs), is no exception. This is the second of a
series on professionalism in CSEs. The first paper identified the key attributes that set top CSEs apart from
their peers. Given the importance placed on accurate crime scene processing and having identified what
attributes underpin top CSEs, the next stage is to consider how to recruit personnel with the potential
to become top-performing CSEs. The aim of this paper is to provide law enforcement and forensic science
agencies with evidence-based recruitment guidelines that could assist them in selecting personnel with the
potential to excel in their roles. In this paper, a multi-source recruitment strategy is discussed that utilizes
focused psychometric assessment, targeted selection criteria, key interview questions, medical assessment,
and collection of information from referees.
Keywords Recruitment forensic personnel, forensic management, crime scene examin-
ers, leadership, career development
Introduction
Processing a crime scene is considered to be one of the
most critical aspects of an effective criminal investigation.
The crime scene is where good forensic science begins and,
when a scene is processed well, accurate and high-quality
evidence can be gathered (Robertson 1989). Inadequately
managed scenes increase the risk of ineffective investi-
gations, of poorer quality evidence collected, or vital evi-
dence missed (Julian, Kelty, & Robertson 2012). Many mis-
carriages of justice leading to wrongful imprisonments
in Australia (Vincent 2010; R v Stafford 2009), the United
States (Rossmo 2009; Findley 2010), the United Kingdom
(Sangha, Roach, & Moles 2010), and Canada (Kaufman
1998) have been associated with ineffectively processed
or managed crime scenes.
Several in-depth reports from the United States (the
National Academies of Sciences [NAS] report 2009) and
the United Kingdom (Scientific Work Improvement Model
[SWIM] report, BHO: 2007) have highlighted that some
CSEs noticeably outperform their peers in the quality of
their work. The SWIM report noted that high-performing
Received 3 June 2012; accepted 22 June 2012.
Address correspondence to the author at Tasmanian Institute of Law
Enforcement Studies (TILES), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 22,
Hobart, Tasmania 7001. E-mail: Sally.Kelty@utas.edu.au.
CSEs attend more scenes and gather higher quality traces
that are more likely to be successfully processed in labora-
tories and more likely to lead to positive identifications.
The NAS (2009) report noted similar observations in that
there are wide differences in the accuracy of CSEs through-
out the United States. Higher performance of CSEs allows
forensic science to contribute to more positive justice out-
comes and leave fewer cases unsolved. However, what nei-
ther report explained was why some CSEs excel (Kelty & Ju-
lian 2010). Recent research has identified a cluster of seven
key critical skills that set top-performing CSEs (those who
attend major crime scenes) apart from their peers. These
skills were: cognitive abilities, knowledge base, life expe-
rience, work orientation, professionalism/leadership, ap-
proach to life, and communication skills. These skills were
identified regardless of whether the CSE was a police or
civilian CSE (Kelty, Julian, & Robertson 2012). The next
phase of this work was to use the identified critical skills
in aiding recruitment; this is the subject of this current
paper.1
Why Organizations Should Invest More
Resources into Hiring High-Caliber CSEs
There is an ongoing debate about whether crime scene
examination should be considered a scientific endeavor
198
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Recruiting Top Crime Scene Examiners 199
to be carried out by scientific practitioners or whether
it is a technical task that can be carried out by police
officers or civilian staff with some limited science knowl-
edge (refer especially to Crispino 2007; Harrison 2006;
Robertson 1989). Whether to invest resources in recruit-
ment practices and who an organization should employ is
a direct consequence of where an organization stands on
this debate. One aspect of whether CSEs should be techni-
cians or science professionals is the argument that not all
crime scenes are complex enough to warrant sending top-
performing scientist CSEs (Harrison 2006). However, the
SWIM report clearly noted that the better performing CSEs
who attend volume crime scenes were far more efficient
and effective for both the subsequent police investigation
and in the lab because they collected higher quality sam-
ples that were analyzable. Further, recent literature de-
tailed the advantages—especially for complex volume and
major crime scenes, or where law enforcement agencies
are involved in forensic intelligence and crime mapping
(Ribaux et al. 2010)—of the need to send high-caliber CSEs
to such scenes in order for high- quality work to aid investi-
gations and lead to just court outcomes (Julian et al. 2012).
It would seem from the literature published over the past
five years that employing high-caliber CSEs makes sense
from both an efficient resource and justice perspective.
Moreover, research by Kelty and Gordon (2012) detailed
the high attrition rates for CSEs. In some law enforcement
agencies, attrition rates of 50% over a three-year period
have been reported. Included in these rates are a high per-
centage of CSEs reporting long-term psychological injury
due to their exposure to crime scenes. Many of these CSEs
have taken extended stress leave or resigned. Policing has
long been regarded as a stressful occupation with high
attrition and burnout rates among serving members
(Anshel 2000; Hess & Orthmann 2012). It has been re-
ported that up to 20% of police officers have the potential
to develop post-traumatic stress resulting from their oc-
cupation (Paton et al. 2009). Stress and high turnover have
been problematic in emergency management personnel
(e.g., fire fighters and paramedics) who, like their police
counterparts, face repetitive exposure to death, trauma,
and accident scenes (Regehr et al. 2002; Regehr & Bober
2005). Given the stressful nature of fire fighting, fire de-
partments have increased recruitment expenditure over
the past few decades and have developed targeted and in-
depth hiring practices with the aim of employing the best
people most likely to function well in this stressful role.
Furthermore, employing poor-performing CSEs (poor
skills, or those less diligent in their roles) has a direct
impact on the morale and occupational stress levels of
high-performing CSEs. Poor CSEs place greater demands
on colleagues because the work that needs to be done
at scenes is not equally shared. Often at major scenes
two or more CSEs attend. When two CSEs at the scene
have different performance levels (not recruits or CSEs in
training being mentored) but the same number of years of
work experience, the responsibility is not evenly shared.
The better CSE not only assumes the management of the
scene but also has to supervise and manage the work of
the poorer CSE (Kelty et al. 2012).
Finally, hiring well is a challenge for most law enforce-
ment agencies (Dempsey & Frost 2010). One of the chal-
lenges has been increased demands on agencies to limit
their legal liability for poor employment practices (Hess &
Orthmann 2012). There has been a growing tendency over
the past few decades, especially in the United States, for
agencies to become legally liable for what the courts have
decided are “negligent hiring practices,” such as the fail-
ure to carry out adequate selection processes or in-depth
criminal history checks (Hess & Orthmann 2012). Hiring
forensic personnel is no exception to this. This challenge
can be overcome, according to Heames and Heames (2010),
once a talent inventory has been developed and is used in
the recruitment process.2
It appears that employing top performers in the crime
scene area has four distinct benefits: the potential to lower
high attrition rates by hiring staff that are potentially
more stress resilient; the potential to employ staff with the
scientific knowledge and ability to collect higher quality
evidence from crime scenes that in turn will reduce the
risk of miscarriages of justice; the removal of additional
occupational stress for existing top-performer CSEs; and
last, a reduction in the risk of organizational liability for
poor recruitment practices.
Aims of the Current Study
Given the consequences for criminal justice outcomes of
poor-quality crime scene work, it makes sound business
sense to put resources into employing potentially top-
performing CSEs rather than poor or average perform-
ers. The aim of developing the recruitment guidelines
overviewed in this paper is to provide police organizations
and forensic science agencies with a set of guidelines that
could assist them in selecting potential top-performing
CSEs. Top-performing and high-caliber CSEs can be de-
fined as CSEs who will achieve superior results in most
or all aspects of their work compared with the major-
ity of CSEs in the same role. Furthermore, if police de-
partments or forensic science departments/organizations
want a team of high-caliber CSEs then, according to Her-
renkohl (2010), it is beneficial to desist from trying to turn
poor performers into top performers and to commit more
time to finding, training, and developing top performers
from the beginning. The guidelines below were specifi-
cally designed to assist in identifying the critical skills for
top CSE performance in job applicants.
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200 Kelty
Ta b l e 1 . Critical Skills and Recruitment Strategy by Skill Category for Top-Performing CSEs
Skill categoryaCritical skillsbRecruitment method
Cognitive Abilities Lateral/critical/creative thinking Psychometric assessment
Multi-tasking abilities, short-/long-term planning skills Psychometric assessment
High-level consequential thinking Psychometric assessment
Knowledge base University degree Essential selection criteria
Legal, police culture/investigation knowledge Essential selection criteria
Sound knowledge of scientific principles Direct interview question
Experience Crime scene to court (policing/justice experience) Worked
in highly charged situations
Essential selection criteria
Maturity and life experiences (not closeted) Essential selection criteria
Crime scene to court (policing/justice experience) Worked
in highly charged situations
Interview questions
Work orientation Good time-management Confirmed by referees
Genuine interest/dedication to role Selection criteria/interview questions
Self-motivated, persistent, and results-driven Psychometric assessment
Communication skills Active listeners with good negotiation skills Confirmed by referees
Inclusive and team-orientated Confirmed by prior employer
High level written and verbal skills Selection criteria/scoring of application
Professional demeanour
(Leadership)
Unassuming and modest, respected Confirmed by referees
Potential for leadership Psychometric assessment
Approach to life Fitness and health orientation Medical assessment
Consistent and stress resilient Psychometric assessment
Notes: a, bCritical skills categories and skills by category as identified in Kelty, Julian and Robertson (2012).
The Recruitment Guidelines
The first stage was to determine how each of the seven
critical skill sets could be measured during recruitment.
In Table 1, each of the critical skills are presented with
details as to how each skill could be assessed or measured.
As can be seen in Table 1, the strategy proposed is multi-
source, gathering information from four main sources.
These are: psychometric assessment; targeted and specific
selection criteria; internal and external referees; and med-
ical and fitness assessments. Although four main sources
are suggested, in this paper we concentrate on three and
do not focus on external and internal referees.
Psychometric Testing
Psychometric testing (also known as psychological test-
ing, aptitude assessment, or mental measurement) is an
assessment tool that can aid in the selection of employees.
A standardized psychometric test is a task (e.g., a spatial
rotational puzzle or a questionnaire) or set of tasks given
under set conditions. Standardized tests are designed,
tested, and validated to measure a range of aptitudes, abil-
ities, and attitudes including verbal, special, numerical
and abstract reasoning, behavioral traits, stress reactions,
personality, leadership, and integrity (Boyle, Saklofske &
Matthews 2012). Psychometric testing has been an essen-
tial component of recruitment within law enforcement
agencies in the United States (Dempsey & Frost 2010), the
United Kingdom (Police Oracle 2012), and in Australia
(Australian Federal Police [AFP] 2012). One advantage
of carrying out psychometric assessment as part of a
recruitment strategy is to improve employee retention
because accurate assessment can assist in matching
prospective employees with the roles and workplaces
in which they will excel. Furthermore, by using better
employee/workplace matching both the financial and per-
sonal costs associated with poor recruitment for organiza-
tions and employees can be avoided (Edenborough 2005).
For psychometric assessment to be useful, selecting the
right test is crucial. The tests detailed below are presented
under the skill category they measure as outlined in
Table 1. They represent examples of empirically valid
psychological tests that could assist in the assessment of
several key attributes for potential top CSEs. As such this
list is not comprehensive and the selection of appropriate
tests should rest with each organization.3Two types of
tests are presented below. First are the tests published
and in the public domain, which means they are free
to be used and can be administered by anyone, such as
an HR officer. However, although the tests are in the
public domain, their validity and reliability in measuring
a given aptitude can only be assured if the tests are
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Recruiting Top Crime Scene Examiners 201
administered and scored according to the guidelines
provided in the articles in which they are published (or
in related publications). Further, it is imperative that a
person with expertise and knowledge in psychometric
testing then interpret the scores from the completed tests.
Second, are the tests licensed and administrable only
by a registered psychologist? However, applicants can
complete many of the tests in the second category during
an online assessment and the test results emailed back
to the organization by the test developer for a small fee;
this eliminates the need for a registered psychologist.4
Cognitive abilities (e.g., mental planning, spatial, me-
chanical, and abstract reasoning) can be measured with
the following aptitude tests. First, Raven’s Advanced Pro-
gressive Matrices (APM: Raven, Raven, & Court 2000) is
a measure of high-level observation skills, clear thinking
ability, intellectual capacity, and intellectual efficiency.
The APM assessment can be accessed online or can be pur-
chased in paper booklet format. Both formats are available
from the test publisher, Pearson Assessments.4Second is
the Watson-Glaser II Critical Thinking Appraisal (W-G II:
Watson & Glaser 2009). The revised W-G II measures cog-
nitive ability in three ways: recognition of assumptions
made in ideas, statements, and strategies; evaluation of
arguments or information that is presented; and drawing
appropriate conclusions from evidence available. The test
draws together inference, deduction, and interpretation
skills. The W-G II is available as an online assessment or
in booklet format.4
Professional demeanor can be measured using the Cal-
ifornia Psychological Inventory-260 (CPI-260; Gough &
Bradley 2002). According to research by Miller, Watkins,
and Webb (2009), the CPI-260 has the ability to measure
management and leadership qualities in potential law
enforcement professionals, pre- and post-leadership train-
ing, especially in the areas of self-management, organiza-
tional capabilities, teamwork, and sustaining vision.
Work orientation can be measured using the Action Con-
trol Scale (ACS-90; Diefendorff, Hall, Lord, & Strean 2000).
The ACS-90 is a self-report scale that assesses a person’s
ability to make timely decisions, commit to a course of
action, avoid procrastination, persist in tasks despite set-
backs, and handle multiple competing demands. The test
has three distinct subscales measuring preoccupation,
hesitation, and volatility. The ACS-90 is free to use and
was published in the public domain (refer Diefendorff
et al, 2000).
Consistence and stress resilience can be measured in two
ways. First, stress reactions can be measured with one of
the subscales of the DASS-21 (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995).
The stress subscale was developed to measure chronic non-
specific arousal, difficulty in relaxing, nervous arousal,
being easily upset/agitated, irritability, and over-reactive
to events. Complementary to the DASS-21, the use of per-
sonal mastery and competence to deal effectively with
a variety of stressful situations can be assessed with
the widely used General Self-Efficacy Scale Revised (GSE;
Schwarzer & Jerusalem 1995). The DASS-21 is available
by purchasing the administration manual (Lovibond &
Lovibond, 1995). The GSE is in the public domain (see
Schwarzer & Jerusalem 1995) and can be administered in
paper and pencil format free of charge.
Job Selection/Application Criteria and Interview
Questions
A vital step in hiring well is developing a detailed written
application package, including highly specific selection
criteria (e.g., person specifications, basic, and essential
qualifications) that target the attributes desired. Between
Ta b l e 2 . Essential and Desirable Selection Criteria for the Recruitment of Top Performing CSEs
Selection Criteria no. Essential Desirable (but not essential)
1. Knowledge base a) A bachelor’s degreei
2. Work Experience a) Demonstrated policing and/or criminal justice
experience)
a) Police or emergency management
background/experience in managing
highly charged environmentsb) Demonstrated knowledge of the investigative
process
3. Genuine interest in role a) Knowledge of the role and detailed expectations
of conditions and exposure to serious crime
scenes
4. Communication skills a) Demonstrated high-level assertive abilities a) High-level negotiation skills
b) Demonstrated verbal and report writing abilities b) Presentation of evidence in court
5. Stress management a) Ability to deal with highly charged
environments and extended hours (at crime
scenes) when required.
a) Prior experience with shift work
iThe bachelor’s degree is not limited to forensic science or science disciplines per se, please refer endnote 5.
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202 Kelty
Ta b l e 3 . Example Interview Questions for the Recruitment of Top-Performing CSEs
1. Describe for me how you have used the scientific method in your work.
2. How have you, or would you, use the scientific method at a crime scene?
3. Describe for me a time when you were self-motivated and persistent at a task. The question can be expanded by asking, what was the
situation, what was the result, and why did you persist?
4. What was your experience or what do you expect a serious [e.g., an arson or homicide] crime scene [or post-mortem] was/would be like?
5. Why do you think we are asking for assertive skills, what do you understand by being assertive?
Please describe being assertive by a recent example.
four and six essential criteria are considered optimal,
and three to four desired but not essential criteria can
also be added (Yeung 2009). Desirable qualities represent
attributes that would be advantageous at the time of
recruitment but are not essential, and good employees
can be trained in these aspects. The selection criteria sug-
gested below was adapted from Yeung’s (2009) guidelines
and was developed to target the specific skills identified
in Table 1. To assess these skills using these guidelines
would require that applicants are asked to submit a
written application and that each skill is addressed on
a separate page. Further, written skills can be assessed
formally by scoring the written application. The example
selection criteria are presented in Table 2.
The next stage is the development of focused interview
questions. As the skill set desired is known, the most opti-
mal form of questioning is a mix of standard recruitment
questions and behavioral questions (Hoevemeyer 2006).
The mixed-format interview would allow potential CSEs
to describe how they have or could overcome challenges
in general (e.g., “how did you overcome that hurdle”? “If
you were faced with this crime scene, what could you
do”?). In Table 3, standard and behavior-based questions
for recruiting potential high-caliber CSEs are presented.
These questions are illustrative of specific type of ques-
tions that need to be asked to hone in on the specific
skills desired in applicants. It is optimal that additional
questions be asked depending on the specifics of the job
and the organization.5
Medical Assessment
One aspect of top performance in crime scene work identi-
fied by Kelty et al. (2012) was a fitness and health approach
to life. This was seen by the top CSEs interviewed as vital to
their ability to not only excel in their role as CSEs but also
being active was seen as way to ensure work/life balance,
which in turn led to enhanced personal stress manage-
ment. A substantial body of research notes that burnout
through occupational stress (such as exposure to crime
scenes) is a major problem underpinning turnover and
stress leave in policing organizations (Anshel 2000) and
that engaging in physical activity and/or active hobbies
is one aspect of self stress-management (Folkman 1984),
especially for CSEs (Kelty & Gordon 2012).
Given the importance placed on fitness and health,
this recruitment strategy recommends that all CSE re-
cruits (and importantly those personnel transferred from
general police duties or other roles within law enforce-
ment/forensic science agencies) be assessed medically to
include at a minimum the standard requirements often
required by law enforcement agencies.6In addition, other
fitness and medical requirements were found to be impor-
tant in the Kelty et al. (2012) study. These include the abil-
ity to kneel for long periods without pain, good eyesight,
and ability to lift heavy objects (namely furniture) safely
and using correct techniques. These assessments could
be carried out during a standard medical with a general
practitioner/doctor and also at an assessment centre.
Summary and Conclusion
Hiring potential top-performing crime scene examiners
has far-reaching implications for the effective function-
ing of the justice system and efficient use of time and
resources within law enforcement/forensic science agen-
cies. Given the importance placed on hiring high-quality
crime scene personnel, the aim of this paper was to
present some initial guidelines on how-quality applicants
with potential to excel could be identified.
The recruitment guidelines presented are in the form
of a multi-source process utilizing three main sources of
information. These were: psychometric assessment mea-
suring a number of different cognitive abilities, lead-
ership potential, and stress reaction/tolerance; targeted
written selection criteria and focused standard and be-
havioral interview questions; and a thorough medical as-
sessment.
The essence of this recruitment strategy is to use the
identified critical skills to fill CSE vacancies in law enforce-
ment agencies or forensic science agencies with people
who have the potential to excel. The strategy is not devel-
oped to recruit personnel with base-level entry technical
skills.
Of note, using this strategy does not imply that post-
employment training is redundant or that employing peo-
ple with high potential to excel means they need less train-
ing than their peers. Resources used in good recruitment
do not reduce the need for career development and train-
ing. Rather it could be argued that the more resources
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Recruiting Top Crime Scene Examiners 203
used in the initial hiring of the best people available,
complemented by effective and appropriate training, the
more likely it is that a team of top-performing CSEs and
higher returns on recruitment and training investment
will emerge (Herrenkohl 2010).
Finally, the strategies discussed may not fit every orga-
nization, and it is vital that recruiters confirm that the
strategy complies with any legal requirements. For ex-
ample, in New South Wales, Australia, the employment
of police officers is governed by legislation stipulating
the conditions and terms of an employment contract
(e.g. Police Act, 1990 (NSW) s65, s66, and s67). Although
such legislation may not necessarily stipulate exactly how
an interview process should be conducted, it is essential
that the guidelines in this paper be used in accordance
with legislation or any organizational/enterprise agree-
ments made under law.
Endnotes
1. This is the second of a related set of papers on professional-
ism in crime scene examination. The first paper identified the
critical skills of top-performing CSEs. In the next two papers
some fundamental aspects that underpin professionalization
of crime scene examination will be explored. For example,
after recruiting crime scene personnel with potential, issues
surrounding professional career development and methods
for how police/forensic science agencies can retain their top-
performing personnel will be explored. Furthermore, a com-
mentary on what it could mean to be a professional crime
scene examiner, including an assessment of formal accredi-
tation and professional development and standards, will be
discussed.
2. In this paper, the terms critical skills and key attributes are syn-
onymous with a talent inventory. The term crime scene exam-
iner (CSE) is used to encompass crime scene officer, forensic
science officer, scenes of crime officer, and both civilian per-
sonnel and police officers who carry out crime scene work.
3. The psychometric tests discussed in this paper do not rep-
resent a comprehensive test battery. For a complete guide
to validated psychological aptitude tests, please refer to
the Buros Institute of Mental Measurement (http://buros.
unl.edu/buros/jsp/search.jsp).
4. The Ravens Advanced Progressive Matrices and the Watson-
Glaser II Critical Thinking Appraisal are available in both
paper booklet and online format from the test distributer,
Pearson Assessments/Psychological Corporation. Refer http://
www.pearsonassessments.com/pai/).
5. It is beyond the scope of this paper to provide a full set of ques-
tions or interview format. More comprehensive discussions
on these issues can be found in Herrenkohl (2010), Hoeve-
meyer (2006), and Yeung (2009).
6. CSEs in different countries and in different jurisdictions
are either civilian personnel employed directly as CSEs or
were initially sworn police officers who transferred into the
crime scene department. Most CSEs regardless of sworn or
civilian status undertake some form of medical assessment
upon initial employment. For example, to join the Australian
Federal Police, applicants must pass three types of medi-
cal assessment: initial resting heart rate and blood pressure
assessments; strength tests, including grip and abdominal
strength; and aerobic performance including the Shuttle Run
Test (Beep Test) (AFP 2012). Similar assessments are carried
out in U.S. state police departments (Dempsey & Frost 2010)
and across England and Wales (Police Oracle 2012).
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