ABSTRACT
Minimal research has been done regarding Vicarious Trauma on the well-being of Crime Scene Investigators. It is well known that experiencing traumatic events has the potential to lead to mental health disorders including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In this study, 28 forensic science professionals in mostly midsize metropolitan areas were surveyed about their personal experiences, lifestyle, and perception of traumatic circumstances. This mixed study used a basic rating scale assessing trauma, stress, and frequencies of experiences throughout the careers of the respondents. Three specific aims were identified in assessing whether substantial differences existed in the way Crime Scene Investigators associated trauma with different circumstances in crime scenes. The discussion examines what circumstances lead Crime Scene Investigators to associate more trauma to specific crime scenes. Further research is suggested to evaluate physiological responses to vicarious trauma in crime scenes, how coping mechanisms play a role in trauma assessment, and formal mental health disorder diagnoses in forensic science professionals.

INTRODUCTION
There has been minimal research done on the effects of violent crime scenes on the psychological well-being of Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs). In the studies that have been done, it has been determined that often, CSIs tend to keep their trauma to themselves and not seek professional help (Clark et al., 2015). This could be due to a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the CSI not having a proper "toolkit" for dealing with trauma, the organization not emphasizing the importance of recognizing and dealing with trauma, or a long-standing stigma surrounding the discussion of traumatic events and the psychological impacts they have on humans. Many of these studies have used vicarious trauma (VT) as the definition for trauma experienced by CSIs (Mountain, 2021; Clark et al., 2015; Levin et al., 2021). McCann and Pearlman first defined VT as "a natural pervasive change resulting from the repeated exposure to experiences and feelings of a traumatic event experienced by another person" (McCann and Pearlman, 1990). VT can lead to symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Roberts et al., 2022). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been studied and diagnosed since 1980, with the original studies being done on veterans of war (va.gov, 2018). PTSD is diagnosed by a medical professional and studies have shown it is common among people who experience traumatic events in their lives.

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