Return to The Crime Lab
Importance of Forensic Science Lesson (day 1)
Discuss:
Definition of Forensics- science as applied to criminal proceedings
Not all forensic science deals with death!
Possible needs:
Burglary
Counterfeiting/ art forgery/document forgery
White collar crime (embezzlement, etc.)
Computer crime
Auto accident
Arson
Drug enforcement
Terrorism
ETC.
If a forensics scientist is called, somebody is having a very bad day! (Forensics may be cool, but keep in mind what has occurred at the scene and the effect on the people involved)
Units covered and some activities
Many of the activities will be in some sort of a mock crime scene
Types of evidence
How to work a crime scene
Fingerprints
Death and Decomposition (Taphonomy)
Time of death
Forensic entomology
Autopsy
Ballistics
Bullet trajectories
Matching guns and bullets
Injuries
Blood
Typing
Spatter
Trace Evidence
Hair and fiber
Toolmarks
DNA (the ultimate trace evidence)
Forensic Anthropology
ID of skeletal remains
Bite marks
Segue into visual cognition video
All about careful observation
Right now is your first quiz, just on observation
Short video (25 sec) with 6 students and 2 basketballs
(3 in black and 3 in white)
http://viscog.beckman.illinois.edu/flashmovie/15.php
Object is to count the # of passes between players in white