Forensic Science Syllabus
Textbook: Criminalistics; An Introduction To Forensic Science 10th edition
Lab Manual for Criminalistics 10th edition
Course Overview: Forensic science is the application of science to the law and utilizes several scientific disciplines; biology, chemistry and physics.
This course will introduce various methodologies and applications used in the field of forensics. Topics discussed include chemical analysis of
physical evidence, principles of serology and DNA analysis, identification and evaluation of blood evidence, ballistics, fingerprint analysis, tool
marks and other impressions, drug analysis, and document analysis. This is a lab science and will involve crime scene collection and analysis
techniques and will involve a midterm and final Lab Practical Exam
Course Goals:
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To understand the essence of forensics science
To make the technology of the modern crime lab clear and comprehensible
To understand the nature and limitations of physical evidence
To be able to apply laboratory techniques and utilize logical reasoning skills to gain comprehensive insight into the significance of physical
evidence and its role in criminal investigations
Course Structure: Laboratory investigation, Case study analysis, Forensic debrief, Case presentation and defense, Projects (crime scene analysis),
Exams, unit tests, and quizzes
Grading Policy
Performance Based Assessments (60%)
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40% Lab/Project based
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Lab reports
Notebooks
Forensic Debriefs
Expert Witness Testimony: Mock Trail
Evidence Collection and Presentations
20% Case study analysis
o Case Presentation and Defense
Traditional On-Demand Task (40%)
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20% from Midterm and Final Exam
o Written Exams
o Lab Practical Exam
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20% Unit tests and quizzes
o Lab quizzes
o Written Quizzes
Curriculum
Review of Lab Safety
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Define and distinguish forensics and criminalistics
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understand Beryillon’s system of identification
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Demonstrate lab safety
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Practice Lab measurements
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Describe the services of a typical comprehensive crime lab
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explain the role and responsibilities of the expert witness
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-Analysis of Dr Coppolino’s case
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Use the steps of the scientific method to problem solve
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-Define Physical Evidence
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-Describe Responsibilities of 1st responder
-Steps for Processing the crime scene
-Procedures for Conducting a systematic search for physical evidence
-Collecting and packaging physical evidence
-Mock crime scene: what to collect, how, labeling, bagging and documenting
(photo and sketch)
Handling, transporting and submitting evidence
-chain of evidence
-maintaining safety, legal considerations
Review common types of evidence
Understand the significance of physical evidence and compare and contrast
identification and comparison of physical evidence
Identification vs comparison, individual vs class
Assessing the significance and value of Physical Evidence
List and explain the function of Forensic Databases
Explain importance of pathologists, anthropologists and entomologists
-Define and understand the properties of density and refractive index Exploring objects in water (activity) Refraction
-procedures to ID glass evidence
-List important Forensic properties of soil
Unit 3
:Physical
Properties
of Glass,
Organic and
Inorganic
Analysis of
Evidence
Unit 2: The Crime Scene
Unit 1: Intro.
CHAPTERS/ TOPICS
Learning Objectives
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SUGGESTED
READINGS
Labs, Activities and Assignments
Project 1, part 1 and 2
- WEBEXTRA 1. 2-3, 1.6, 1.7
“The Deadly Picnic” solution
-Case Study; Dr. Coppolino
- HW:Unit Review Questions
Class WIKI Review
-Lab #1: “Practice in Making Measurements”
-Processing the crime scene
Criminalistics ; Ch 1
Criminalistics: Ch 2
Mock Crime Scene: Securing, Isolating and Recording
the crime scene
-Case study analysis
-quiz: the crime scene
Similarities and Differences between Identification
and Comparison of Evidence
Criminalistics: Ch 3
-Forensic briefs
-WEBEXTRA 3.1: Scott Peterson Case
-WEBCASE 3.2 Autopsy
- Case study analysis
Unit Review Questions
Project 2 :The Crime Scene
Unit 2: Test
HW: Pre-lab #3
Lab #3: “Physical Properties of glass”
Quiz: Properties of Refractive index
Formal Lab Report
HW: pre-lab #4
Lab #4: “Soil Analysis”
Poster Presentation
Forensic Brief
Criminalistics: Ch 4
Unit 4: Drugs and
Forensic Toxicology
Unit 5:Forensic Serology
and DNA Evidence
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Understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative analysis
Describe process of Chromatography and identify different types
Understand the differences between the wave and particle theories of light
Describe the utility of UV and IR spectroscopy for the ID of organic Compounds
Describe the concept and utility of mass spec for ID analysis
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-Describe the usefulness of trace elements in forensics
-Kennedy Assassination evidence analysis
-Examine photon emissions as method of ID
-Explain Neutron Activation analysis
-understand importance in “death by Radiation Poisoning” case
Explain the process and limitations of x-ray diffraction
-Nuclear Forensics debrief
-Application and critical thinking
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-The types and applications of microscopy in forensics science
-Explain differences in microscopes and identify applications of each in
forensics
-Drugs; Dependence, Laws, Identification, Collection and Preservation of Drug
Evidence: Methods for Detecting and Identifying Drugs
-Name and classify commonly abused drugs
-Collecting and Preserving Drug Evidence
-Describe the lab tests used to perform routine drug id analysis
- Explain Drug Control Laws
Forensic Toxicology: Testing for Intoxication and Human Metabolism
-Collection and Preservation Of Blood Evidence, documenting drug influence
-Understanding the components of the Drug Recognition Process
-Classification of Blood Samples using pH, Hair Samples and Drugs
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HW: pre-lab#5
Lab #5: “Analysis of Ink by Paper Chromatography
-Chem Minilab: Photon Emissions Lab
-Kennedy Assassination Evidence Analysis
-Quiz key terms ch 5 and 6
-Lab #6:”Practice in the Use of the Microscope”
-WEBEXTRA 7.2, 7.4, Exploring Microscopes
-Forensics Debrief
Unit 3 Review Questions
Unit 3 TEST
Forensic Debrief
Case Study Analysis and Presentation
Drug Evidence Classifications and Preservation
Questions: application and critical thinking (p181-182 #1-4
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WEBEXTRA 7.6-7,7.8 Exploring Microscopes
Virtual Forensics Lab: Drug Identification
WEBEXTRA 9.1,9.2
Blood-alcohol levels and behavior
Unit Review Questions
Midterm Exam Review!
PROJECT 3
Criminalistics: Ch 5
Criminalistics: Ch 6
Criminalistics: Ch 7
and 8
Criminalistics: Ch 8
and 9
Forensic Serology; Blood composition and Types(p242-244)
Explain blood cell physiology
Describe the process of typing whole blood
Typing blood samples(p242-245)
Characterization of Bloodstains through forensic testing; determining source
Describe tests to characterize a stain as blood
Understand concepts of antigen-antibody interactions and application to
species and drug identification
chromosome vs genes anatomically
using Punnett squares to determine genotype and phenotype
Genetic analysis from blood and semen samples
Collection and Preservation of Rape Evidence
Lab tests to characterize semen samples, proper collection of
evidence in sexual assault cases,
-processing the crime scene with Blood and semen stains
Lab Practicum; Mid-term
Chapter 10
Prelab Lab #7: Blood Id and Typing
Mid-term Exam (ch1-9)
Lab #7: Blood Id and Typing
Punnett Squares to
predict Characteristics
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The structure of DNA
WebExtra 11.3-4 CODIS STRs and Frequency of Occurrence of aDNA
profile
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Contrast protein codes and repeating base sequences
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WebExtra 10.7
Punnet Squares
Application and critical thinking Questions p262
Virtual lab: conduct an analysis of a bloodstain(p260)
Pre-lab;Lab #8
Chapter 11
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Polymerase Chain Reaction Technology and DNA Typing; STRs
Lab #8 : Nuclear DNA Extraction
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Explain difference between nuclear and Michondrial DNA
Pre-lab: Lab #9
Lab#9 -DNA fingerprinting
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Collection and Preservation of Biological Evidence for DNA Aalysis: collecting,
packing and obtaining specimens
Pre-lab: Lab #10
Lab #10: PCR Amplification of DNA
The JonBenet Ramsey Case Analysis
OJ Simpson Case and Forensics and 9/11/01 Case Studies
Unit 5 Review Questions
Unit 5 Test ch 10-11
Unit 6: Crime Scene
Reconstruction ; Bloodstain,
Hair, Fiber and Paint Analysis
Crime scene Reconstruction: Bloodstain Pattern Analysis
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Fundamentals of Crime Scene Reconstruction
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General Features of Bloodstain Formation, Impact Spatter Patterns
-angle of impact
-origin of impact patterns
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-understanding how different pattern types are created and which features can
aid reconstruction of crime scenes
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Documenting Bloodstain Evidence at a crime scene
Hairs, Fibers and Paint
The morphology of Hair
Criminalistics: Ch 12
Lab #11: Determination of Blood Splatter Angles of Impact
Virtual Lab: Blood Splatter Evidence
Lab#12: Determining the Origin of Blood Splatters
Virtual Forensics Lab: Blood Splatter evidence
HW: Application and Critical thinking #2 and 3
Criminalistics: Ch 13
Pre-lab# 13
Lab#13: Examination of Hair by Microscopy, pt a,b and c
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Collection and Preservation of Hair Evidence
Properties of Fibers, natural vs Manufactured
-usefulness in forensics
Forensic Examination of Paint
IR Spec analysis and composition
Collection and preservation of paint
Forensics of Fire Investigations
-conditions for initiation and sustaining combustion
-recognizing signs of heat transfer
Collecting physical evidence at arson scene
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Understand Lab procedures for hydrocarbon residue detection
Forensic Investigation of Explosives
classification of explosives
Identifying common explosives, commercial, military and homemade
Collection and Analysis of Evidence of Explosives
Unit 7: Forensic
Aspects of Fire,
Explosive,
Fingerprint,
Firearms,
Toolmarks and
Impressions in
Investigations
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Application and critical thinking Question #1,a,b,c
Fingerprints
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Fundamental Principles of Fingerprinting
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Recognizing common ridge characteristics
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Identify 3 major fingerprint patterns and their subclasses
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Distinguish visible, plastic and latent fingerprints
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Understand Concept of Automated fingerprint identification systems
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Methods for detecting fingerprints
Virtual Forensics Lab: Fiber Analysis
-Application and critical thinking questions # 1-5
Criminalistics: Ch 14
PROJECT 4
Unit 6 Review Questios
Unit 6 Test Ch12-14
Criminalistics: Ch 15
-Questions: application and critical thinking (p370) #1-3
-HW: Application of critical thinking, P387, #1-3
Pre-lab #14
Lab #14: Fingerprinting ( a-e)
Questions: Application and Critical thinking (p414) #1-4
Criminalistics: Ch 16
Unit 8: Final Project an Assessment
Firearms, tool marks and other impressions
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Evaluate bullet and cartridge comparisons
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Identify rifiling a barrel
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Recognize class and characteristics of bullets and cartridge cases
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Understanding microscopic comparisons of bullets and cartridge cases
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Explain NIBIN database
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Explain the procedure to determine how far a weapon was fired from a target
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ID lab test to determine if a person fired a weapon
-primer residue tests
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Explain Procedures for collection and preservation of firearms evidence
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Identify forensic significance of characterizing tool marks, foot and tire
impressions
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Define “questioned document”
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Identify common individual characteristics of handwriting
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List guidelines for collecting known writings for comparison
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Recognize class and characteristics of printers and photocopiers
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List techs document examiners use to uncover alterations, erasures,
obliterations and variations in pen inks
FINAL PROJECT- MOCK CRIME SCENE
•use all the techniques learned, to solve a mock crime:
-fingerprint dusting
-blood spatter analysis
-drug identification
-documentation of the crime scene
-sketching the scene
-photographing the scene
-foot print analysis
•Write a scenario based on the evidence
•Use analysis of data collected at the scene to determine the perpetrator
•Demonstrate through gathering evidence, documentation of crime scene and analysis of
evidence that they have learned the skills required to be a Forensic Scientist
-WEBEXTRA 17.7 casting footwear impression
-Virtual Forensic Lab
-tool mark analysis
-footwear impressions
Lab #15 -comparison of toolmarks and casting
Lab #16 : Reproducing Bite marks
HW: Virtual Forensics Lab- Thin-layer Chromatography of ink
Final Exam Review Questions/Study Guide
Lab final
FINAL PROJECT
Final Exam
Criminalistics: Ch17 18