Application of Mentoring in Training Crime Scene Examiners - Literature review Example

Application of Mentoring in Training Crime Scene Examiners Application of Mentoring in Training Crime Scene Examiners Introduction Mentoring can be defined as a form of leadership in which, the leader trains his or her juniors in a way, so that the junior can take the place of trainer one day. The most interesting thing about mentoring relationships is that they are supposed to be long term in nature. Mentoring is also different from coaching because, coaching is all about making the students or trainees learn how to perform a practical task such as engineers are trained to construct hefty buildings. But, in case of mentoring trainer and trainee develop a deeply entrenched emotional bond and therefore, their interactions are known to become warm at times. Mentors are basically leaders yet, of a different kind because, they are primarily responsible for causing a career development of their juniors, which in the longer run, is going to resemble mentor’s own career. In short, mentors are supposed to develop their replacements before they retire or leave. This paper however, is going to analyze importance of mentoring in training and developing crime scene examiners. Importantly, crime scene examiners are hard to find therefore, when they are found they are then cared about. Still, an effective crime scene examiner is expected to be analytical, scientific thinker and he or she is also supposed to assume nothing and only work in the light of evidence. All of these abovementioned characteristics are difficult to develop because, of this reason, junior CSEs are always in the need of mentor and mentoring in order to gain expertise in their respective field. Another imperative need of any crime scene professional is to keep his or her emotions suppressed or at least in control, so that they cannot cloud his or her judgment. In attempt to minimize emotionality in the work-line of crime scene examination, law enforcement agencies take off the officials that have some emotional connection to the victim, killer or to the place where crime took place. Justice system of developed nations such as America, does not consider evidence collected by an emotionally, physically or psychologically disturbed official as admissible to the court of law. This regulation is based on the fact that emotional or physical trauma could cause a person’s perception of reality to flatter, which will impair the judgment and judgment is believed to be the corner stone of forensic investigations. Literature Review According to Freeman, (2005) the individuals who can perform mentoring are becoming rare in the field of animal health management and therefore, fresh graduates are not getting attracted to pursue a career in the field .In the light of above citation, the importance of mentoring could be established because, entire industry is falling apart, due to lack of mentors. Billett, (2003) wrote that mentors are famous for fostering the will to learn and adapt to new situations within their followers. Mentors are also considered as the source of consistent support to the students. Ahmed, (2010) uncovered immense power of mentorship, which assisted Fatima Jakoet in becoming a crime scene investigator then a pilot and she while doing other jobs managed to get an MBA degree. All of this, Fatima managed achieved with the help of mentors, who gave her the right direction. Mentors and mentoring are also playing a notable role in terms of training Afghani law enforcement agencies in terms of fighting and managing terrorist organizations. US soldiers and marines are engaged in training Afghani Army and Police with modern warfare techniques (Hamann & Fernandes, 2009). In the view of Stauffer, (1999) the crime scene experts have a prime duty and responsibility of helping the justice system in enlisting the suspects, victims and others, who may have been physically or mentally disturbed by the crime . Based on the above argument, the CSEs should have role models because, they have to do sensitive job and therefore, somebody should be responsible to show and demonstrate all of the things that a CSE is supposed to do. In this way, mentors help juniors in creating a mental map,which they can use while performing their responsibilities in future. Furthermore, mentors and leaders in forensic investigation, are anticipated to set higher moral and legal standards while doing their job because, State does not like Police officers, who break the law. Therefore, the leading individual should promote higher level of morality in the sworkplace and should compell his or her subordinates towards spending an honest life. The characteristics of an ideal mentor, are going to be discussed in following section :- 1. Professional Proficiency The mentor is supposed to be an individual, who has proven his or her capabilities in the field because, if he or she does not know how to do job of CSE effectively then how he or she could train others. 2. Higher Morality The individual who is holding a top position in a crime lab should have a sense of morality while having a clean criminal record. Furthermore, he or she must not allow subordinates to practice violence during interrogation and arrest. Moreover, the leader should also motivate the staff to conduct investigations in the light of evidence only. 3. Empathy The mentor must also have the ability to practice empathy, so that he or she can understand people’s feeling whereas, the leader is also encouraged to promote decentralized decision making and job autonomy. 4. Teamwork The leader is also expected to promote sense of team among people working in a crime lab and he or she is also supposed to highlight interdependencies of one department’s work on another’s. 5. Performance based Reward System The leading person should commend individuals, who are doing their jobs effectively and he or she should also arrange some monetory benefits against people’s contributions. Findings This research effort finds that the mentoring is an important typology of leadership, which is primarily concerned with developing replacements for the current leading individuals. Additionally, it was found that crime scene examiners are supposed to help the justice system in identifying and punishing culprits. In short, CSEs have to perform a tough job because; crime scene investigations should be morally and empirically sound in order to send the criminal to jail. Mentors in the field of forensics should have the ability to decentralize authority, motivate people, practice empathy, set higher moral standards and take charge of the situation when needed. Furthermore, it was registered that lack of mentors and mentoring is playing a significant role in demolishing the entire industry of animal health management. American soldiers on the other hand, are currently engaged in training Afghan security agencies, so that they can fight active terrorism organizations on their own. Conclusion The art and science of mentorship is an integral part of every field because, this allows mentors to develop their replacements, who keep a certain line of work moving forward. In the case of forensic investigations, it is highly recommended to have mentors in place because, this is a difficult job and therefore juniors are in need to have a psychological point of reference in order to perform well. This psychological reference is provided by leaders in most of the cases. Finally, mentors are an essential requirement for continuing a certain profession but, mentors should also give their trainees adequate space and should not impose rules and regulations ruthlessly but, mentors should work to implant these rules within psychological framework of an individual. At the end, those industries are destined to doom which, lack experts that have the profound ability to train others. References Ahmed, S. (2010). Bird in Flight. Agenda , pp.10-11. Billett, S. (2003). Workplace mentors: demands and benefits. Journal of Workplace Learning, 15(3), 105-113. Freeman, L. C. (2005). R~ x for Recruitment and Retention of Veterinarian Scientists: Money, Marketing, Mentoring. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 32(3), 328. Hamann, E., & Fernandes, R. (2009). Multidimensional Peace Operations and Post-Conflict Situations: The ‘Civil-Police-Military Predicament. Security and Development in Peace Operations and Post-Conflict Situations , pp.13-15. Stauffer, E. (1999). The role of the forensic scientist in the new millennium with the example of fire debris analysis. Read More