Forget TV, this is what forensic scientists really do

Andres Patino Umana, Regional Forensic Adviser, Asia-Pacific working on the exhumation of bodies of people missing in connection with the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war and the 1990-1991 Gulf war. Photos: ICRC

Trust Tinseltown to glamorise a vocation that’s hardly glitzy. Forensic scientists, given the nature of their job, are forced to deal with witnessing some of the most gruesome and gory death sites imaginable. And they don’t simply strut into a night club or bar after knocking off work to let their hair down, either. That’s CSI!

“It is often wrongly thought that forensic professionals are immune to emotions when having to deal with the dead, but this is far from the truth. We are greatly affected by our work and need strong support mechanisms to deal with these complex and traumatic issues, and to ensure that we can undertake our work in the most professional manner possible,” reveals Oran Finegan, Deputy Head, Forensic Services, Assistance Division, during the ICRC ASIA Regional Forensic Meeting at the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kuala Lumpur in March, which had a group of forensic experts descending upon Malaysia.