tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238868.post115168024613215354..comments2023-05-20T05:56:09.478-07:00Comments on Is this thing on?: Speaking Up for the DeadJan Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11995627057411256306noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238868.post-1152230527661230602006-07-06T17:02:00.000-07:002006-07-06T17:02:00.000-07:00Dear Anonymous, Thank you for taking the time -- a...Dear Anonymous, <BR/><BR/>Thank you for taking the time -- and having the courage -- to talk about your workplace. Your post has been printed out and taped up near my computer, to remind me, on the days when I feel as if I'm hitting my head against a brick wall, exactly why I'm doing this.<BR/><BR/>I wish I could say that I'm surprised to hear that a public employee who is using his or her skills to help others, who obviously cares about the families of the deceased, would have to work in the conditions you do, but tragically, your story of an underfunded coroner's/ME's office with under-appreciated staff could have come from far too many places in this country. <BR/><BR/> Your job is hard enough without the problems that inevitably arise from underfunding and some of the attitudes that seem to prevail. <BR/><BR/> Please know that those in the Crime Lab Project are genuinely concerned and want this situation to change, for you and others who work in public forensic science. We'll keep fighting for you and those you serve.Jan Burkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11995627057411256306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238868.post-1152162204170068972006-07-05T22:03:00.000-07:002006-07-05T22:03:00.000-07:00Thank you for taking the time to put this site up ...Thank you for taking the time to put this site up and for your work in the "Lab" project. There are many of us in this field that feel invisible so much of the time. No funding, no regular merit system for evaluations (forget raises), an area where work product has taken a back-seat to attitude and the "all is fine" mask for the general public.<BR/><BR/>One hears so much about "The Medical Examiner"...the patholoist, but so little about the other staff. The people with many years of experience, the people with a Masters Degree, those of us that go to the scenes of the death and speak to the families face-to-face and take parents into our arms. We go onto the next death, and the next, and the next. Then we go home and take our antidepressants. <BR/><BR/>Our agency has had over an 85% turnover rate in 2.5 years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238868.post-1151800008114300392006-07-01T17:26:00.000-07:002006-07-01T17:26:00.000-07:00Hey there, Sandra -- I posted today before I saw t...Hey there, Sandra -- I posted today before I saw this comment. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help you and others have given. I know members of the forensic science community appreciate it, too.<BR/><BR/>The Congressional process is a complicated one, so we won't have final word for a while yet (last year, the budget was delayed for months) but right now there is some urgency because "mark up" is such an important stage of the proceedings. We know the items for this area of the budget are being worked on now, so that's why we need those calls to come in.<BR/><BR/>I know people often feel a sense of helplessness about these processes, but truly -- your contact makes a difference!<BR/><BR/>We saw Coverdell funding more than triple in recent years, and we know that happened because people like you took the time to make calls and to ask others to do the same.Jan Burkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11995627057411256306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238868.post-1151779415820119552006-07-01T11:43:00.000-07:002006-07-01T11:43:00.000-07:00When will there be news about that bill being vote...When will there be news about that bill being voted on? I got some people who emailed and said they'd followed up - hopefully, it made a difference.Sandra Ruttanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06109584805469336742noreply@blogger.com