Is the FBI Crime Lab different from other forensic labs?

The FBI Crime Lab is one of the world's largest forensic labs. In fact, the Crime Lab makes up an independent division within the FBI - - the Laboratory Division. The Crime Lab analyzes all sorts of evidence, including hair, blood, DNA, latent fingerprints and handwriting. The scientists at the FBI Crime Lab have even developed new methods for analyzing evidence. Forensic scientists from all over the country can attend training sessions at the FBI's Forensic Science Research and Training Center (FSRTC). The FBI has also pioneered criminal investigative analysis, i.e. profiling. The members of the Behavioral Analysis Unit look at both the evidence from the crime scene and the situation surrounding the crime. They then build a profile that the perpetrator may fit. This helps detectives narrow the list of potential suspects. Profilers sometimes build a geographic profile for a series of crimes. This helps investigators narrow the area of interest.

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