Sharon Plotkin obtained her Master of Science degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology from Florida International University. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in social work, also from Florida International University, and an Associate of Arts degree in psychology from Broward Community College. She is currently seeking a doctoral degree in education. She is a member of several forensic organizations, including the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, International Association for Identification, and Gold Coast Forensic Association.
Plotkin received her certification in crime scene investigations through the International Association for Identification in 2006, and has been doing crime scene work for almost 21 years. She has handled thousands of cases, ranging from burglaries to homicides and suspicious deaths. She has received specialized training in various fields of crime scene investigations, including bloodstain reconstruction, photography, crime scene reconstruction, fingerprinting, shoe wear casting, and other various topics.
Plotkin has also published a crime scene reconstruction textbook with author Robert Ogle Jr., and recently co-authored a second textbook on fingerprint processing, slated for release in March 2021.