Examination of the Conditions Affecting Forensic Scientists' Workplace Productivity and Occupational Stress [United States], 2012-2013

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed. This study assessed the occupational experiences of forensic scientists working in laboratories across the United States. The sample included 899 forensic scientists in public and private laboratories operating at the local, state, and federal level across the United States. The study addressed the levels of work stressors and satisfaction among forensic scientists across the various disciplines, along with any correlates to working conditions, requests from various criminal justice system actors, policies, procedures, and demographic conditions. The use of positive and negative coping strategies by scientists was also measured to assess how individuals working in the field are affected by their job. Finally, the ergonomic and working environment of bench scientists were assessed to consider any influence they might have on their reported levels of stress and satisfaction.