FBI teaches students the science behind fighting crime

HOUSTON – The crime-scene investigation process came to life Friday at Atherton Elementary School when agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation descended to show the science behind their crime-solving methods.

Catching criminals doesn't happen by pure luck and Perry Turner, special agent in charge of the Houston FBI Field Office, said it takes a keen mind and dedication to make a successful agent. That's part of the reason for CSI Day in partnership with the Harris Foundation's Dare To Dream program.

“It’s all about planting a seed early. Encouraging kids to pursue law enforcement as a profession and also painting a positive picture of law enforcement,” Turner said.

“I want to become an FBI agent,” student Eddie Arana said.

It's rare for a 10-year-old to truly know what they want to do as an adult, but Arana insists he's just that.

“Ever since I heard that you can go undercover and make sure that people don’t do the wrong thing,” Arana said.

He was one of about 70 students from five different elementary schools seeing firsthand how the bureau investigates crimes.

“This program exposes them to our evidence-response team as far as collecting evidence, analyzing evidence and packaging it up so we can actually use it in our investigations,” Turner said.

It wasn't just the tech that impressed Arana, it was the agents themselves.

“I've met about three now. They’re cool just in general,” Arana said

“We expect to see some of these kids in the FBI agency one day in the near future,” Turner said.

The event was meant to inspire elementary school students. FBI Houston is also holding a diversity agent recruitment event.