CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR OCCUPATIONAL BURNOUT: CAUSES, PREVENTION AND RECOVERY
R. Pertsev, D. Tychyna
Abstract: Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs) are frequently exposed to traumatic events, which significantly increase their risk of developing occupational burnout, psychological stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Continuous exposure to violent crime scenes, organizational stressors, and inadequate social support often leads to emotional exhaustion and decreased personal satisfaction among CSIs. These conditions negatively affect the quality of work, decision-making processes, and the overall effectiveness of forensic investigations, ultimately resulting in long-term mental health consequences. This article discusses the causes of burnout in CSIs and emphasizes the need for psychological screening of candidates for forensic units at the time of recruitment to identify those at greater risk of psychological exposure. The use of modern technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for stress management and trauma recovery is discussed. Recent studies show that about 30% of CSIs experience occupational burnout and 9.3% meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, including psychological screening of candidates, VR therapy, and organizational reforms to support CSIs mental health and maintain their professional effectiveness. Keywords: occupational burnout, crime scene investigators, PTSD, resilience, candidate selection, recovery, virtual reality, augmented reality.
 are frequently exposed to traumatic events, which significantly increase their risk of developing occupational burnout, psychological stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Continuous exposure to violent crime scenes, organizational stressors, and inadequate social support often leads to emotional exhaustion and decreased personal satisfaction among CSIs. These conditions negatively affect the quality of work, decision-making processes, and the overall effectiveness of forensic investigations, ultimately resulting in long-term mental health consequences. This article discusses the causes of burnout in CSIs and emphasizes the need for psychological screening of candidates for forensic units at the time of recruitment to identify those at greater risk of psychological exposure. The use of modern technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for stress management and trauma recovery is discussed. Recent studies show that about 30% of CSIs experience occupational burnout and 9.3% meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, including psychological screening of candidates, VR therapy, and organizational reforms to support CSIs mental health and maintain their professional effectiveness.&redirect_uri=http://rjlm.ro/index.php/arhiv/1024)