Archive for October, 2008

by Paul D. Rosevear

If you’re one of millions already hooked on CBS’s hit franchise “CSI” ” (that is, CSI: “Crime Scene Investigation” and its spin-offs “CSI: Miami” and “CSI: New York”), you probably spend your entire week in anticipation for the excitement and drama of the next episode. But what if the thrill of crime scene investigation didn’t have to be limited to three hours a week? What if you could spend your 9-5 unraveling mysteries like your favorite characters do onscreen?

We did some investigation of our own and found out just what skills and attributes are needed to discover your dream CSI career. Each of your favorite puzzle-busting on-screen CSIs’ specialties correspond to an academic discipline. By combining that textbook knowledge – often available via online programs – with hands-on training, you could be on your way to being more than just a fan of Gil Grissom and the gang. you can start being like them.

“Catherine Willows” – The Formula For Success
Ever wonder how you could possibly need to use trajectory formulas from your physics classes in real life? Just watch the character of Catherine Willows in action as a blood spatter analyst.

“A blood stain pattern analyst is someone who determines from what the blood came from,” explains Ray Rodriguez, assistant dean of graduate studies at Kaplan University’s School of Criminal Justice, which offers online programs in crime scene investigation and forensic psychology. “They need to know the physics of blood flight, and have an extensive knowledge of trigonometry.”

Whether spattered on a wall, stained on a shirt, or on the floor, these specialists are able to use their physics knowledge to determine not only where blood came from, but how many blows were struck to the victim, how far away the assailant was, and the height of who was attacked.

“Warrick Brown” – A Sixth Sense
The real-life “Warrick Browns”- those who specialize in audio/visual analysis – are in high demand due to the amazing breadth of technology in which digital media can be captured. Because of all the possible media components that must be examined in an investigation – computers, cell phones, palm pilots, cameras, mp3 players -a background in computer forensics and digital investigation is a must.

“Computer forensics pertains to everything from exploring child pornography allegations, and [online] harassment charges to national security and more,” explains Bill Stackpole, computer forensics specialist and assistant professor at Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY). “The premise of digital investigation is based on the idea that digital data can be stored, so you need to have the specialized training to recognize how data can be accidentally changed while investigating, and how to avoid [doing so]. A computer or a camera can be much like a dead body at a crime scene – you need to collect evidence from it in a very specific way.”

“Gil Grissom” – Bug Study
The show’s main character, “Gil Grissom,” specializes in forensic entomology – the study of insects. For this, a strong background in biology is a must, specific forensic entomology Ph.D. programs are available at a handful of schools around the country, advises Rodriguez. “These specialists examine maggot activity on a dead body or collect flies in the area of death, [among other things] and use these insects to determine time of death, place of death, and what substances were in the victim.”

“Nick Stokes” and “Greg Sanders” – Molecular Masters
These two CSIs are experts in hair/fiber analysis and chemistry, respectively, but the two disciplines actually have a lot in common. According to Rodriguez, in order to do either you need to have mastery over molecules.

“DNA analysis all comes back to biology and chemistry,” he explains. “We use the nuclear material of the cells to conduct tests, which is a highly specific way of acquiring information.” Without a strong foundation of how the elements interact – whether inside the body or out – neither investigator would be able to link hair at a crime scene to a suspect, test gun residue, or examine bodily fluids relevant to the case.

Real-Life Forensics: An Exploding Field
Forensics is more than just the subject of popular TV shows – it’s a rapidly growing and developing field, with real life evidence of its advancements appearing every day. “In the Chandra Levy case, where a former Washington intern disappeared mysteriously, computer forensics specialists acquired her computer and conducted an investigation where they discovered maps of the places she planned on jogging through,” says Stackpole. “Turns out, that information was truly related to her disappearance, because it led police to the exact place of her body. And that was after she’d been gone for over a year.”

With the right textbook knowledge and academic background, you could very well find yourself off the couch and at a crime scene next time you hear the words “wound ballistics” or “trajectory analysis.” And you’ll never ask “How’d they do that?” while watching CSI again.

© 2006 Classes USA, Inc. All rights reserved.

Family may come first for Laura Collins, but it certainly didn’t hinder her aspiration to become a lawyer.

The mother of two knew she had to find a way to balance law school while maintaining a connection to her family. She never thought that would mean sitting in her backyard logged onto her laptop “listening” in on a lecture given by one of the nation’s top intellectual lawyers. Nor that she would receive personal attention from her law professors to such an extreme that she once received a 45-page e-mail on Constitutional law, a subject in which she was floundering.

It was at Concord School of Law, the nation’s only wholly online law school, that Laura found her family-friendly alternative. After spending two years at a local law school as an evening student, she transferred to Concord and eventually became a member of the school’s first graduating class.

“By being in class at night, I was missing a lot,” she explains. Laura had recently retired from running a motion picture production and distribution company; she wanted a new and exciting career, but not at the expense of missing her children.

Concord is a dream come true for many professionals just like her, says Laura ¬- those who wish to pursue a law degree or related studies, but are restricted by the time and location obstacles of attending a brick-and-mortar institution. The curriculum at Concord, which provides programs leading to a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or an Executive JDSM, gave Laura an opportunity to learn and live out her lawyer aspirations without losing touch with her family.

“At Concord, I attended my lectures and did most of my studying during the day when the kids were in school,” she explains. “By the time they got home, I was available.”

Now, Laura devotes her career to helping maintain family stability, specifically in the most unstable of times, though divorce. Awkward sentence? Upon graduation, she passed the California Bar Exam and opened a family mediation practice in Santa Barbara, Calif., where she is practicing attorney accompanied by her psychotherapist husband, Russell Collins.

In fact, it was an instructor who ignited Laura’s interest in the area of mediation and law. “One of my professors had worked on divorce mediation with his wife who is a psychotherapist, and had said it was his most fulfilling and satisfying years,” she says. The same professor encouraged Laura to work on a research paper about the benefits of lawyer-therapist-comediation in divorce.

“I read all the literature and my husband and I came up with the idea: With a lawyer/therapist team, we could take care of kids. Instead of destroying their children, parents [involved in a divorce] could actually help their kids end up better. They don’t have to damage them.

“The idea that lawyers can actually help people resolve conflict is a good thing. You don’t always have to battle it out in court.”

Of the many lessons she has learned, her unique online learning experience helped solidify the importance of breaking down stereotypes. She has no hesitation to tell her colleagues she found her alma mater as a result of a Google search, and says she’s actually envied when they hear about her online education experience, specifically about the high level of interaction.

When she tells fellow lawyers about the time a professor rewrote her entire essay, “to illustrate [the way] I should have done it. step by step,” or the lecture she received online from Arthur Miller, the nation’s leading intellectual property lawyer, she gets stunned responses. “I’ve had plenty of lawyers say to me, ‘That sounds incredible.’

“Having been at a traditional law school, I can tell you that you don’t have much interaction with your professors,” Laura explains. “Certainly, when you get an essay back, you get a letter grade, maybe a couple of comments. But at Concord, the comments I would get on my exams were sometimes longer than the essays. The exams themselves were a learning experience,” she affirms.

Laura believes that everything — from the delivery method of lessons, to the facilitation of tests — is integral to the school’s success. And, additional resources abound, she says. Concord boasts national clinical internship opportunities, and a Trial Advocacy Program in conjunction with William Mitchell College of Law, available online or on-campus.

All such educational innovation and a dedicated approach to delivering instruction that is both theoretical and practical, is what makes the school’s unique online format work, says Laura, and will also continue its growth.

“Concord has an incredible program,” she explains. She stands proud not only of her and her husband’s practice, but also of the education she received from a school that helped uphold her belief in family.

by Gina LaGuardia
Concord Facts:

• Juris Doctor students at Concord must study for at least four years under the eligibility rules promulgated by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California. It is a part-time program, and students generally devote an average of 20 hours per week to the curriculum.
• Concord’s Executive JD program is designed for students who have an interest in law or for whom a legal education would be useful in their career goals, but who do not intend to practice law. Students are not regulated by the State Bar and therefore may complete the 72-unit program at their own pace generally within three years and not to exceed six years.
• A specialized Health Law Track within the Executive JD program allows nurses, paramedics, and other health care practitioners to advance their career paths.

Other Unique Degrees You Can Earn Online

• Doctor of Philosophy in Organization and Management
• Bachelor of Science in Game Software Development
• Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications
• Associate of Arts in Acquisition and Contract Management
• Bachelor of Science in Interior Design
• Master of Science in Emergency & Disaster Management
• Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management – Casino Management

© 2006 Classes USA, Inc. All rights reserved.