By Lauren Macovitz / Jambar Contributor
Flashing lights, quick lab results and dramatic confessions might make for good television, but forensic science students at Youngstown State University are learning the real work happens under microscopes in labs and over long nights of documentation and analysis.
Robert Wardle, associate professor of forensic science, said the entertainment industry simplifies the investigative process, creating unrealistic expectations for those entering the field.
“The people doing the work tend to be more specialized,” Wardle said. “In the media, they portray the same people doing a lot of the activities that take place during a criminal investigation.”
YSU’s program teaches students the scientific foundation behind forensic work. Wardle said they discover that actual investigations are far more complex than what is often shown on television.
“Our students have to develop skills in understanding chemistry, biology, physics and to a certain extent, mathematics,” Wardle said.
Wardle said students gain experience through labs, courses taught by professionals and mock investigations.
“Right at the start, we’re very student-centered. We want hands-on,” Wardle said. “We try to get it as close as possible, and we get feedback from actual people working in the field — be it alumni or professional connections.”
Wardle said students also engage with professionals from coroners’ offices, crime labs and law enforcement.
One of those professionals, Eric Laprocina, is a crime scene investigator and YSU instructor with over 20 years of law enforcement experience. He said real forensic work takes much longer than what’s depicted on TV.
“A lot of these shows get their 40 minutes of fame, and they have a case that starts at the beginning, and then by the end of it, there’s a conclusion. That’s not the case whatsoever,” Laprocina said. “It is a lengthy process, and there are a lot of moving pieces involved.”
Laprocina said cases can take weeks or months to process due to lab backlogs, as agencies across Ohio submit evidence to the state’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
“Unfortunately, some evidence may take several weeks to several months, depending on the case,” Laprocina said.
YSU’s forensic science program provides facilities for realistic training. Laprocina said the university’s on-campus mock condo allows students to apply what they’ve learned in lectures and labs to simulate crime scenes.
“It challenges the students in such a way that they can actually apply what they’re learning,” Laprocina said.
Many graduates of the program go on to work in local, state or federal agencies, while others pursue advanced degrees.
“A lot of our students go on and get an advanced degree,” Wardle said. “We have graduates with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and others who work in hospitals. It really varies by opportunity and interest.”
Both instructors said that while the work can be rewarding, it demands accuracy, emotional resilience and integrity.
“You’re seeking truth,” Wardle said. “Whether that is to exonerate a suspect or to convict a suspect, either one is a suitable outcome if it’s the truth.”