Course title

Pre-requisite

Course description

This course introduces students to the many modern disciplines of Forensic Science; the science of solving a crime. The course focuses on analyzing physical evidence found at crime scenes using the basic processes and principles of the scientific method.
Forensic Science Syllabus 2015-2016 Wilson

*These are the GENERAL units; however the order is subject to change. Each unit may contain: a PowerPoint; some notes; reading and writing assignments; one or more laboratory experiments and/or activities; guest speakers… field trip to the morgue at the end of the year.

TIME FRAME: Approximately two weeks on each unit.... Some a little more - some a little less.

Units – Tests may consist of one unit or several – Students will be notified in advance!!!

1. Introduction to Forensic Science and the Law
What Is Forensic Science?/Crime Laboratories/Highlights in the History of Forensic Science
Methodology/Criminal Justice and the Law/Steps in Pursuing Justice/Types of Crimes/Federal Rules of Evidence

2. Types of Evidence - Evidence/Testimonial or Direct Evidence/Physical Evidence

3. The Crime Scene - At the Crime Scene – Inductive/deductive reasoning; Scientific Method
Steps to take when processing a crime scene/Packaging evidence/Chain of custody
Introduction to “THE CRIME SCENE” - mock crime scene scenario …………. part of first semester final
4. Fingerprints - At the Crime Scene - Microscopy
Study basic properties/Ridge patterns/Obtaining “lifting”/Classifying

5. Hair - as Evidence at the Crime Scene - Microscopy
Structure of hair vs. synthetic fiber/Identifying human hair/Absorbed substances

6. Fibers - as Evidence - Microscopy
Conclusions from the Tests/Density/Refractive Index

7. Drugs - Drugs and Crime - Spectroscopy
Identifying and classifying drug types (not hands on of course!)/Connection between drugs and crime

* Study various Serial Killers – Organized vs. Unorganized; Macdonald Triad etc…

Final Exam_______________________________Tentative First/Second Semester Division..……………………….

8. Toxicology: Poisons and Alcohol – Chemistry - Connection of Blood alcohol levels to the law/Poison vocabulary

9. Trace Evidence – Chemistry; Chromatography
Identifying white powders/lip prints/

10. Blood – as Evidence – Chemistry; Genetics - Human blood typing/bloodstain patterns/Determine if stain is blood

10a Forensic Ballistics - firearm usage in crimes/ analysis of bullets and bullet impacts to determine the type

11. DNA Analysis - Genetics; Probability
Isolating DNA from cells/PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction and DNA Fingerprinting

12. Human Remains – Human Anatomy; anthropology/odontology - Investigating Human Remains/Postmortem Interval: Determining the Time of Death - Forensic Anthropology: Skeletal Remains /Human vs. Animal Bones

12a Forensic Entomology – study of insects to determine TOD using various methodology (ADH; Instar stages etc.)

13. Soil Analysis – Chemistry - Why soils are evidence/Soil Constituents/Reading a topographic map

14. Glass – As Evidence
Nature and Density of Glass/Chemical vs. Physical properties of glass

15. Document and Handwriting Analysis - Characteristics/Types of Forgery/Paper types

16. Forensic Photography - How to correctly document crime scenes in photos

17. Cyber Crime – Computer Internet crimes

Final Exam________________________________________________End Second Semester……………………………

Labs throughout the year:

Class vs Individual Evidence Lab
Hair Analysis Lab
Hair/Fiber Cross Section: Make a Permanent Slide Lab
Fiber Identification/Burning Lab
Mock Crime Scene Lab
Evidence Processing; Interview Techniques
Search Warrants…. Etc.
Fingerprint Identification Lab
Dusting for Latent Fingerprints Lab
Ninhydrin Fuming Lab
Iodine Fuming Lab
Cyanoacrylate (Superglue) Fuming Lab
Silver nitrate Fuming Lab
Balloon Fingerprint Lab
10 Print Card Lab with Henry Identification
White Powder Presumptive Identification Lab
Narc Cocaine in Urine Lab
Wall Blood Spatter Lab
Angle of Impact Blood Drop Lab
Angle of Convergence Lab
Luminol/Bluestar Latent Blood Lab
Kastel Meyer Lab
Bullet Trajectory Lab
Stereo-Macroscope Bullet and Cartridge Comparison Lab sim
Bullet ID Lab
Jon Benet Murder Case: DNA Gel Electrophoresis Lab
DNA Extraction Lab
DNA Profiling Lab Simulation
Maggots and Murder Pipe-cleaner Lab
Silvia Hunt Murder Case: Accumulated Degree Hour Lab
Javalina Study to Determine Time of Death/Forensic Entomology and Decomposition Lab
Soil Analysis Lab
Glass Analysis Refraction Lab (Becke’s Line)
Handwriting Analysis Lab

School Country

School state

School city

High school

School Address

School zip code

Requested competency code

Date submitted

Approved

Approved competency code

• LINT
• Integrated science

Approved date

Online / Virtual