Projects

****The mock crime scene can be replaced by traditional quizzes throughout semester 1. If you choose to complete the traditional quizzes you do not need to complete the following project. 

Please note that you will still complete activities and projects in the course.

Mock Crime Scene 

Note: This activity will be ongoing throughout the next several units. You will need to refer back to the information you gather here for later activities, so be sure to save any notes you take.

You get the call on a Tuesday afternoon. Dr. Fisher, a famous surgeon, has been found dead in his high-rise apartment. So far, the police aren’t sure if it was a murder or a suicide. The coroner has removed the body, and police have secured the crime scene and dusted for prints. Now it’s your turn! You’ll be using your forensic knowledge to photograph the scene, take notes, and collect evidence. With a little luck, you just might be able to solve the mystery . . .

In this activity, you’ll begin investigating the mock crime scene. Using the instructions below, have a friend or family member set up the crime scene for you—or set it up yourself. Be sure to get permission from an adult in your home before setting up as some of the ‘evidence’ may be messy! You’ll need the following materials:

• Masking tape

• Post-it notes

• Brown paper bags

• Plastic sandwich bags

• Ruler or measuring tape

• Dark hair sample (can use dark-colored paper or thread)

• Light hair sample (can use light-colored paper or thread)

• A piece of notebook paper

• White powder (e.g. flour, baking soda)

• A glass

• A table and chair

• An object representing a pool of blood (e.g. a red paper cut-out)

• An object representing a gun (e.g. cardboard or paper)

• A small object to represent a spent shell casing from a bullet

Set the crime scene up in an available room or space, as follows:

1. Put the glass on the table, in easy reach of the chair.

2. Scatter some of the white powder near the glass, on the table.

3. Put the dark hair sample on the chair.

4. Put the piece of notebook paper on the floor next to the table.

5. On the floor beside the chair, use the masking tape to mark the outline of a body.

6. Put the gun at the hand of the body outline.

7. Put the shell casing far off to the left.

8. Put the light hair sample near the door.

9. Put the red paper cut-out representing the blood on the floor near the head of the body outline.

Now, it’s time to investigate. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

1. Use the post-it notes to tag each piece of evidence you find. Be sure to put the post-it note next to the evidence, not right on top of it! Number each note.

2. Photograph the scene using your cell phone or a digital camera. Take three types of photos:

• 1. Add these measurements to your crime scene notes.

1. Collect the evidence. Use brown paper bags for larger items, like the gun and glass. Use plastic bags for smaller items like hair and powder. Assume that blood samples have already been swabbed and collected. On each bag, write “EVIDENCE,” the name of the case (“Dr. Fisher Case”), the evidence item, and its number. Take photos of your bagged evidence to show that you’ve collected it and that it’s ready for the crime lab.

Try to be as detailed, thorough, and accurate as possible with your photographs, notes, and measurements. You will be graded according to your attention to detail and care in collecting evidence as if this were a real crime scene.

Table Grading Rubric

 Mock Crime Scene (Ongoing Activity)

You’ve now got your evidence from the crime scene back in the lab, and you’re ready to analyze it. The only problem is, your lab is short-staffed and low on funds. It looks like you’ll only be able to run four tests.

1. Based on the evidence you collected at the crime scene, which four of these tests would you run, and on which items? Explain your choices. (At least three sentences)

• 1. NOTE: If you need more information about a test, do some additional research online.

1. Use the evidence you’ve collected and/or your notes and photographs to answer the following:

   1. What are the physical properties for each piece of evidence? For evidence that’s a representation, like a cardboard cutout, list possible physical properties that a real version of the item might have. (List at least three for each)

   2. Do you think it would be useful to determine the chemical properties of any of the evidence? Why or why not? (At least one sentence)

   3. Could any of the evidence have class characteristics or individual characteristics that would help the investigation? Which items? What are their possible class and individual characteristics, and how could you use those in the investigation? (At least four sentences)

Table Grading Rubric

 Fingerprints  (Ongoing Activity)

Several prints were lifted from the scene of the crime. A few prints were found on the glass, others were found on the gun handle, and one partial print was lifted from the doorknob. The prints on the glass and the gun both belong to Dr. Fisher, but the partial print belongs to someone else. You run it through the criminal databases—but no luck. Could it have been one of his colleagues? A visitor? A patient?

You’ll have to fingerprint some suspects to find out. But first, why not practice?

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Pencil

• Index cards or white paper

• Transparent tape (ie. Scotch tape) or clear packing tape

• Light-colored balloon(s)

• Sharpie marker

• Small paintbrush or makeup brush with soft bristles

• Cocoa powder, talcum powder, or cornstarch

• Glass

1. Your Prints At Large

   1. Rub pencil lead over the index card or paper to make an “ink” pad.

   2. Blow up a balloon partway, so that it’s about as big as a baseball.

   3. Gently roll your entire fingertip, from one side to the other, across the ink pad. The pencil lead should be transferred to your finger.

   4. Using the same rolling motion, roll your fingertip onto the balloon, leaving your print.

   5. Do steps 3 and 4 for each finger on your right hand. You might have to make new ink pads along the way. Press each finger on a different part of the balloon or onto different balloons. Label each fingerprint with a sharpie marker.

   6. Blow up the balloon(s) all the way. Your fingerprints are now huge!

   7. Does each fingertip show a loop, arch, or whorl pattern? Record which pattern each fingertip shows.

2. Lifting Prints

   1. Press one of your fingertips against the glass so that you leave a fingerprint. Use one of the same fingers you used on the balloon.

   2. Gently brush a small amount of powder onto the print, using soft circular motions. The powder should stick.

   3. Use a piece of tape to lift the print.

   4. Transfer the print to blank paper or index cards by sticking the tape onto it.

   5. Compare the lifted print to the same print you made on the balloon. Do they match? How can you tell? What characteristics do the prints share? (At least two sentences)

   6. If you committed a crime, would it be easy for investigators to match this print to your records? Why or why not? Hint: how’s the quality of the lifted print? How rare is your pattern? (At least two sentences)

Submit your completed written responses. You should have a minimum of four sentences that provide answers to the given questions within the assignment.

Table Grading Rubric

 Ballistics (Ongoing Activity)

Your analysis of evidence from the crime scene revealed the following:

• The gun found in Dr. Fisher’s hand is a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver. It is registered to Dr. Fisher, who owns it legally. Its cylinder holds five rounds, but one of the chambers is empty.

• The spent shell casing in the room is from a .38 caliber bullet.

• Dr. Fisher’s hands do not show any gunpowder residue, and there is no residue around the gunshot wound.

• Bullet fragments were found deep in the wall about three feet from the floor. They are too deformed to analyze for markings. They appear to be from a .38 caliber bullet.

1. Ballistics Evidence Report

   1. Use the information above to answer the following. You may want to research online and use your findings to support your answers.

   2. Your friend says the spent shell casing must have come from Dr. Fisher’s revolver because the caliber sizes match. Is he right? Why or why not? (Hint: how do revolvers work?) (one to two sentences)

   3. What does the absence of gunpowder residue tell you about the shooting distance? (one to two sentences)

   4. What does the location of the bullet fragments tell you about the incident? (one to two sentences)

   5. You look more closely at the gun. You notice that the empty chamber in the revolver’s cylinder is opposite from the firing pin rather than next to it. What might this indicate? (one to two sentences)

   6. Based on your answers above, do you think this was a suicide or a homicide? Why? Describe in detail what you think happened. (At least four sentences)

2. Sketch the Scene

   1. Refer to your photographs from earlier in the course. Using the photos and your answers above, sketch the scene as it might have appeared when Dr. Fisher was shot. Draw a possible trajectory of the bullet using a dotted line.

Submit your written work (a total of eight to twelve sentences) and your sketch.

Table Grading Rubric

 Autopsy (Ongoing Activity)

1. Ongoing Activity: Autopsy Results for Dr. Fisher

   1. The autopsy on Dr. Fisher has been conducted, and the following results were revealed. Use this information to answer the questions below.

• 1. What was the cause of death? (one sentence)

  2. What was the manner of death? (one sentence)

  3. The body was found at 3:00 pm on a Tuesday. Estimate the possible time of death. Provide a range and explain your answer. (one to three sentences)

  4. Dr. Fisher was found lying on his back. Is it likely that his body was moved after death? Why or why not? (one to two sentences)

  5. The white powder on the table was also tested. It turned out to be an unusually high-quality blend of an illegal drug. Was Dr. Fisher under its influence at the time of death? How can you tell? Speculate on what this evidence could mean for the case. (three to five sentences)

1. Digging Deeper: Virtual Autopsy

   1. The virtual autopsy is one of the newest techniques in forensic science. Using 3D imaging, forensic scientists create interactive virtual models of bodies. These models help investigators learn more about crimes. 

      1. Watch the following video about virtual autopsy. Then, answer the questions below. 

      2. Anders Ynnerman: Visualizing the medical data explosion

   2. How is a virtual autopsy different from a regular autopsy? How are they similar? (two to three sentences)

   3. What are some possible advantages and disadvantages of virtual autopsies? (two to three sentences)

   4. Do you think virtual autopsies will ever replace regular autopsies? Why or why not? (two to three sentences)

   5. Which type of autopsy would you rather do and why? (two to three sentences)

Submit your written work (a total of eight to twelve sentences) and your sketch.

Table Grading Rubric

 DNA (Ongoing Activity)

1. Background

Before you dive into DNA analysis, use these links to learn more.

1. What is a DNA fingerprint? – Read this article to learn about the science and procedures behind DNA fingerprinting. How is modern-day DNA profiling (STR analysis) different from the original DNA fingerprinting process? Why is STR analysis preferred today? (three to five sentences)

2. Forensic Science in the Crime Lab  – Watch this video to see how a real forensic DNA lab works. Would you want to do this job? What might be some challenges of working in a forensic biology lab? (two to four sentences)

3. Ongoing Activity

Good news! The partial print found on the doorknob of Dr. Fisher’s apartment has been matched. It belongs to a patient, Bill. You have obtained a sample of Bill’s DNA, as well as DNA from Dr. Fisher’s girlfriend, Lucy, who sometimes visits the apartment.

The light hair and dark hair samples found at the crime scene both yielded DNA. You have developed a DNA fingerprint for the samples. Now, it’s time to compare them to the possible suspects.

Use the DNA fingerprints below to answer the following questions.

1. Who does the light hair sample belong to?

2. Who does the dark hair sample belong to?

3. Taken at face value, does this DNA evidence incriminate Bill, Lucy, both, or neither? Explain your answer. (two to three sentences)

4. You call in a special favor to your friend at the FBI, and she runs the DNA samples through CODIS. A match returns. It appears that Lucy has previously been arrested for drug possession and trafficking. Do you think Lucy shot Dr. Fisher? Can you prove it? Why or why not? Refer to the evidence you have collected from the scene and your prior analyses. What other information would you seek in this case? (three to five sentences)

Table Grading Rubric

 Explosive Conclusion (Ongoing Activity)

1. Fire Timeline

Investigating arson can be a very complicated and complex job, as you learned in the unit! It is also generally a time sensitive matter. Forensic scientists who investigate arson must not only act quickly, but also methodically.

In order to practice how you would respond during an arson investigation, you will be creating a ‘game plan’ or ‘fire investigation timeline’ for what you would do upon arriving at the scene of a fire. Using what you learned in the unit as well as any necessary online research, you will articulate each step that would take place during your investigation. Be sure to number your steps and keep in mind any unexpected situations that might occur.

For example: “First, I would want to find the fire’s origin and look for signs of accelerant use. If I was able to locate the origin, I would do my best to preserve the area. If not, …”

Your ‘timeline’ should be detailed but it does not need to be as extensive as a research paper or essay. You can format your timeline however you like – as an actual timeline, a bulleted list, or short paragraphs as long as you include a clear format like first, second, third, etc. Be sure to include at least six steps.

You can create your ‘timeline’ in a word processing program or a slide presentation. You will be graded on the accuracy of your timeline as well as mechanics and grammar. For more details, see the rubric below.

1. The Plot Explodes (ongoing activity)

An explosion has occurred in a house down the street from Dr. Fisher’s apartment! Fortunately, the fire was controlled before it could spread to the rest of the block. No one was in the house when the blast occurred. All personal possessions in the house, including a computer and several filing cabinets, have been destroyed.

Property records show that Dr. Fisher’s former patient, Bill, bought the house a year ago. He was still Dr. Fisher’s patient at that time. Apparently, their relationship was strained. Bill had tried to sue Dr. Fisher for malpractice, without success.

When investigators searched the scene, they found bomb fragments with homemade electronics. They traced the electronics to a nearby store where Bill is a customer. They also found a metal cabinet at the scene that survived the blast. Inside the cabinet were several boxes of .38 caliber brass bullets.

So far, investigators have been unable to locate Bill for questioning.

1. Who do you think bombed Bill’s house, and why? (one to two sentences)

2. What other types of explosion or fire evidence might you look for within the blast radius? (two to three sentences)

3. Does this incident change your theory on Dr. Fisher’s murder? Explain. (three to five sentences)

Congratulations! Your forensic expertise has given investigators valuable information on the Dr. Fisher case. It’s only a matter of time before the culprit is behind bars.

Table Grading Rubric

Semester 2

 Drug Research

Drug evidence can be important in criminal investigations. But there are many different types of drugs on the streets and many different ways to approach drug evidence. How do forensic scientists know what to do when faced with a suspicious substance?

Before analyzing the evidence, forensic scientists must know the properties, legal status, and necessary tests for a variety of different drugs. In this activity, you’ll hunt down and organize the important facts that make up the background for drug investigations.

1. Choose five drugs from the following list of controlled substances: Marijuana, Fentanyl, Testosterone, MDMA, Lorazepam, Heroin, Psylocybin, Cocaine, Oxycodone, Morphine, Phenobarbital, Anabolic steroids, Ketamine, Robitussin-AC, Pregabalin, Methamphetamine, LSD, Opium, Zolpidem, Mescaline

2. Create a table of information about the five drugs you picked. Use the internet to find information about each one. Your table should contain the following information for each drug:

1. Pick one of the five drugs from your chart and research crime statistics for that drug. Is it commonly abused today? Give a short summary of the criminal activity and current or past legal issues with the drug. Include at least one relevant numerical statistic. (three to five sentences)

Here are some helpful resources to get you started:

Drug Enforcement Administration Home Page

National Institute on Drug Abuse - Commonly Abused Drugs

Diversion Control Division - List of Controlled Substances

Indigent Defense Services - Drug Analysis

Table Grading Rubric

 The Case of the Drunk Driver

It’s late at night, and the city’s bars have just closed. You’re a police officer patrolling your regular area when you see a car weaving erratically across the road. You follow the car into a residential neighborhood. The driver sees you and pulls over. Shining your flashlight into the car, you notice that the driver is a man in his thirties, about 160 pounds. 

As he hands over his license and registration, the man slurs his speech. He is uncoordinated and seems to have trouble getting his license out. You ask him if he’s been drinking. He admits that he had two beers at a nearby bar. 

You decide to give the driver a breathalyzer test. This test shows the man’s current blood alcohol content (BAC) as 0.12%, which is above the DUI limit of 0.08%. You arrest him for DUI. 

Calculating BAC

BAC can be estimated in the following way:

Use this formula and your math skills to answer the questions below.

1. A regular 12-oz beer is about 5% alcohol. This works out to about 14.03 grams of alcohol per beer. If the driver drank two beers, how many grams of alcohol did he consume?

2. The driver weighs about 160 lbs. What is his body weight in kg? What is his body volume in mL? (1 lb = 0.45 kg) (1 kg = 1000 mL)

3. For most males, 68 percent of the body is water. What is the volume of water in the driver’s body in mL?

4. Use the above information to calculate BAC.

5. The measured BAC was 0.12%. Was the driver telling the truth about how much he drank? Calculate the difference between the two BAC percentages.

6. If the driver had really consumed only two beers, would he have been arrested for DUI? Explain.

In reality, BAC can vary widely among individuals. The math above is just a rough estimate—that’s why forensic toxicologists and police officers use tests like the breathalyzer to accurately determine a person’s blood alcohol level.

Signs of Impairment

The level of a person’s impairment depends on their BAC. Below are some signs of impairment that you might observe based on BAC.

TABLE 1 Signs of impairment based on BAC Level

1. Based on this table and the description in Part I, did the driver’s behavior match his measured BAC of 0.12 percent? Explain. (1-2 sentences)

2. If the driver had consumed only two beers as he claimed, what kind of behavior might he show? (1-2 sentences)

3. The legal limit for driving is 0.08 percent BAC. Can a driver show effects of impairment below this level? What effects might be present? Do you think it is safe to drive with these effects? Explain your answer. (2-3 sentences)

Table 2 Grading Rubric

 Handwriting Analysis

In the past, forensic document examiners collected handwriting samples and compared them by hand. Today, imaging and comparison software lets document examiners compare many samples quickly—but they still have to make expert decisions on which samples match. It’s not as easy as it looks!

In this activity, you’ll do some handwriting comparisons of your own to get a feel for this tricky but interesting line of work.

Warm-Up

Complete the Handwriting Analysis activity at CSI: Web Adventures. Take a screenshot when you’re done. Did you find this activity difficult? What strategies did you use? (one to two sentences)

Analyze Your Handwriting

Now it’s time to analyze some of your own handwriting. Using white notebook paper, write out the following paragraph in your natural style:

It was a dark and stormy morning. We quickly arrived at the scene of the crime at 4:30 a.m. and saw the suspect fleeing into the trees. Inside the house, a window was broken and a picture was askew. As lightning cracked overhead, we looked behind the frame to find the safe was empty.

When document examiners look at a writing sample, they look for specific features like slant, crossings, alignment, and connections. Look closely at your sample and write down a few words or a brief sentence of observation about each feature:

1. Slant: What is the slant of your writing? Does it slant right, left, or not at all?

2. Crossings and dots: Do you cross your t’s in a distinctive way? Dot your i’s? Describe them.

3. Alignment: Does your writing curve upward or downward horizontally, or does it go straight across the page?

4. Connections: Which letters run together? Which are separate?

5. Spacing: Are your spaces between words large or small? How about between letters?

6. Relative height: How tall are your c’s relative to your t’s? What other height ratios do you observe?

7. Pressure: Do you press down hard when you write? Does the pressure vary? How?

8. Unique features: Do any of your letters show unique or unusual features?

Now that you’ve analyzed your own handwriting, try comparing it to a friend’s or a family member’s. Have your partner write out the same paragraph that you wrote, preferably on the same surface and using the same pen or pencil and paper.

1. How is your writing similar to your partner’s? How is it different? Pick at least three points from the list above to compare. (three to five sentences)

2. Why is it important for your partner to use the same surface, pen/pencil, and paper as you did? (one to two sentences)

3. Try writing the first sentence of the paragraph with a different kind of pen/pencil or on a different surface. Compare the new sample to your original. Do you notice any differences? What are they and what do you think caused them? (two to three sentences)

Table Grading Rubric

 Crash!

September 10, 2016: You’ve been assigned to investigate a hit-and-run incident. When you arrive at the scene, it’s raining and foggy. The roads are slick. It looks like the crash occurred during the early evening, about 5:30 pm, a couple hours before dark.

You notice a green 2010 Chevrolet Camaro lying off the road on an embankment and a blue 2014 Toyota Camry several yards back. Both vehicles are damaged. Robert B., the driver of the Camaro, had severe back injuries and was taken to the hospital. The only witness is the Toyota driver, Fred H.

Fred H. was driving in the right lane when the accident occurred. According to Fred, a red Ford pickup truck (year and model unknown) suddenly swerved across the highway from the left lane. The pickup truck hit the front left side of the Camaro in one of the center lanes, pushing it off the road before speeding away. The Camaro lost control and sideswiped the Toyota as it skidded across the highway, denting the Toyota’s left side panels. The Camaro then skidded across the grass to the right of the highway and crashed into a low concrete wall. The hood and both sides of the Camaro have extensive damage. The Toyota driver pulled up behind the Camaro and called the police.

The accident occurred near Miami, Florida, on I-95 northbound, a 5-lane highway. It happened just before the Exit 16 offramp.

Fred H. and Robert B. both passed breathalyzer tests. Neither had any passengers in the car.

As you search the scene, you notice:

1. Tire tracks/skid marks left on the pavement

2. Deep red scrapes across the Camaro’s panels and green scrapes across the Toyota’s panels

3. Broken car window

4. Fragments of a hood or panel

5. A torn rag

6. An empty beer can

7. Deep tire marks and footprints in the mud of the embankment

At the Scene

Use the information above to answer the following questions.

1. For each of A – E above, give an example of a type of evidence you could collect from that item and how you would collect it. (one to two sentences each)

2. Fill out a crash form for the incident. Use the form Florida Crash Report and use the information in the description above to create a brief three- to five-sentence summary for the “narrative” section. Use the witness’s description to draw a diagram of the incident. If you can’t find a piece of information for the form, just leave that part blank.

Impression Evidence

Three separate tire marks were collected from the scene. The marks were found in a pattern that supports Fred’s version of events.

Tires leave different types of marks based on their wear patterns. For example, tires that are constantly flat will leave different impressions than tires that are normally inflated or overinflated. The tires tend to wear out on the parts that are most exposed to the road.

You checked out the tires of the two vehicles at the scene. Here’s what you found:

The Camaro had normal tires, but the Toyota’s tires were a little flat and overly worn on the outside edges. The condition of the red Ford truck’s tires is unknown.

1. Match the three impressions with the cars that most likely created them.

2. What can you hypothesize about the red pickup’s tires? Could this have anything to do with the accident? Explain your answer. (two to four sentences)

3. A red pickup fitting Fred’s description was later seen running a stoplight. Police pulled it over for a check. Its tire impressions looked like this:

Based on the evidence, do you think this was the same red pickup that rammed the Camaro? Why or why not? (one to two sentences)

Table Grading Rubric

 Forensic Entomology

Determining Time of Death

Read the article at SFU Museum Resources: Entomology and answer the following:

1. What are the two ways that insects can be used to determine time of death? How does each method work? (three to five sentences)

2. What are some of the limitations of forensic entomology? (two to four sentences)

Now, complete the activity at Insects Reveal Post-Mortem Interval

Pick a Bug, Any Bug

Forensic entomologists encounter many different insect species during their investigations. In order to determine time of death and other noteworthy information, they need expert knowledge about these insects. That’s why reference materials come in handy.

In this activity, you’ll conduct your own mini-research project on an insect. You’ll collect your findings and present them in a concise, single sheet—something that a forensic entomologist might be able to use for quick reference.

To start, choose an insect from the following list:

• Blowfly

• Flesh fly

• Coffin fly

• Cheese skipper

• Hister beetle

• Rove beetle

• Carrion beetle

• Skin beetle

• Scarab beetle

• Clothes moth

• Wasps

• Bees

• Ants

Create a one-page presentation about your insect’s importance to forensic entomology. Research it online or at your local library. Include the following information and items:

1. A picture of your insect.

2. The scientific (Latin) name for your insect species or family and its taxonomy (kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species). Be as specific as you can.

3. A summary about your insect, including where in the world it lives, what kind of habitat it prefers, what it eats, and a description of its usual size, shape, and color. (5-7 sentences)

4. Which group your insect falls into for forensic entomology purposes: necrophagous, predator, omnivore, or indigenous. Hint: refer back to the unit if you’re not sure what these terms mean.

5. Your insect’s role in the decay process. (2-3 sentences)

6. How long after death your insect normally colonizes a dead body.

7. A diagram showing each stage of your insect’s life cycle and roughly how long each stage takes.

8. Is your insect’s life cycle usually relevant for determining postmortem interval? Why or why not? (1-2 sentences)

9. Why is it important for forensic entomologists to understand this insect? Give an example of how your insect could provide valuable evidence in an investigation. (3-5 sentences)

Table Grading Rubric

 The Tales Bones Tell

In a remote area in the mountains, a hiker discovered several bones lying on a hillside. She called the local police, and they quickly secured the scene. Now, as a forensic anthropologist, it’s your job to analyze the find. What can you learn from these remains? Use the information below and your knowledge from the unit to answer the investigators’ questions.

TABLE 1 Bone Inventory

TABLE 2 Formulas for determining height based on lengths of long bones

Scatter pattern:

The bones were found in three separate groups within a 50-foot radius. The bones in each distinct group were within 10-15 feet of each other.

Group 1: Humerus, ulna, pelvis

Group 2: Tibia, spine, femur 1

Group 3: Femur 2, cranium

Questions:

1. Forensic anthropologists can use the length of long bones to determine a person’s height. Find the possible male or female height for each long bone that was found. Use the formulas in the table above to calculate height in centimeters. Record your answers in the table below.

TABLE 3 Record your answers

1. Based on your height calculations, could some of these bones have belonged to the same person? Which ones? Keep in mind that the measurements are approximate.

2. Of the eight bones found, which do you think probably belonged to a man? Which likely belonged to a woman? Which aren’t you sure about? Can you tell anything about the victims’ age? Explain your answers. (three to five sentences).

3. How many individuals (male and/or female) do you think were present? Do the scatter patterns support your theory? (one to two sentences)

4. Do the bones show animal activity? How can you tell? (one to two sentences)

5. Do the bones show evidence of time, cause, or manner of death? Explain. (three to five sentences)

6. The local police have provided you with some missing persons reports. Look at the information for each missing person and compare it to your findings. Could the bones belong to any of these missing persons? If so, which ones, and why? Keep in mind that 1 inch = 2.54 cm. (2-3 sentences)

John Green

Age: 22

Height: 5 ft. 11 in.

Sex: Male

Features: Recent break in left radius

Tiffany Brown

Age: 29

Height: 5 ft. 3 in.

Sex: Female

Features: None

Linda White

Age: 71

Height: 5 ft. 6 in.

Sex: Female

Features: Osteoarthritis in joints

Bob Black

Age: 31

Height: 6 ft. 2 in.

Sex: Male

Features: None

Table 4 Grading Rubric

 Data Breach!

Millions of data breaches have occurred in the past decade. With so many records exposed, how can forensic experts and cybersecurity professionals keep track? Technology, it seems, is both the problem and the solution.

Many online organizations maintain records and databases of data breaches. We’ll use the following link to research data breaches and learn about changing trends in cybercrime.

Data Breaches

Exploring the Data

1. Search the online data breach database at the link above. You’ll see three columns of checkboxes on the page. Use these boxes to tailor your search.

   1. Select one type of breach, one organization type, and one year.

   2. Click the Search Data Breaches button below.

   3. How many breaches in total were reported? How many records were compromised? Take a screenshot of the Breach Subtotal at the top of the page.

Visualizing the Data

In this step, you’ll create a spreadsheet of data breaches over time, and plot them on a line graph.

1. Go back to the data breach search you used in part I.

   1. Select one type of breach. Click the Help button for information about each type (don’t pick Unknown).

   2. For organization type, click Select All.

   3. For year, check the box for ten years ago (for example, if you’re reading this in 2017, select 2007).

2. Click Search Data Breaches. Look at the Breach Subtotal. How many breaches occurred for that type and year? Make sure to write down the number of breaches made public (not the number of records).

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to begin creating your spreadsheet. You can follow the table example provided below, or sort the data differently if you wish.

   1. Record the number of breaches that occurred each year for your chosen breach type, up to the last complete year (for example, if you’re reading this in 2017, the last complete year was 2016). You’ll record ten data points.

   2. When you’ve finished recording up to the last year for your first breach type, repeat steps 1-3 for one other breach type (again, don’t pick Unknown). Make sure to record breach type, year, and how many breaches occurred for that type and year.

   3. Record the total number of breaches for each year across all organization and breach types. To retrieve this data from the online search, click Select All for breach type, Select All for organization type, and search each year.

   4. When you’re done searching, you should have 10 data points for each breach type, and 10 data points for total breaches—or, 30 data points.

Here’s an example of how you could organize your spreadsheet. For the two breach types, we picked Payment Card Fraud and Physical Loss.

TABLE 1 Breaches information

Plot your data on a line graph. Let the X axis represent time (in years) and the Y axis represent number of breaches. Use three different color lines (one for each breach type and one for the total). Include a key that shows which color represents which.

Analyzing the Data

In this section, we’ll see what conclusions we can draw from the data.

1. Look at your line graph. Did the total number of breaches increase or decrease over time? Does this trend make sense? Explain. (two to three sentences)

2. What other trends did each of your two breach types show? Which type(s) of breaches became more common over time? Which became less common? Did the trend lines cross each other at any point? (two to three sentences)

3. Based on your answer to question 2, what conclusions can you draw about the development and use of different technologies over the past 10 years? Does the data reflect your expectations? Explain. (three to five sentences)

4. Does the graph tell you anything about how technology might continue to develop in the future? What do you think the major areas of cybercrime will be in the next few years? (two to three sentences)

Table 2 Grading Rubric

 A Bright Future

Imagine you’re a forensic scientist working in a crime lab. You work in one of the following units (choose one):

• Biology unit (DNA, pathology, blood analysis)

• Physical sciences unit (chemistry, physics, geology)

• Firearms unit (ballistics, bullet analysis, gun identification)

• Document unit (questioned documents, document analysis, and imaging)

• Digital unit (networks, databases, computer/smartphone data, internet activity)

• Fingerprint unit (fingerprint analysis and identification)

• Toxicology unit (drug testing and evidence analysis)

This year, you have a budget for new technology. Now’s your chance to make your lab stand out! But first, you’ll have to convince your lab manager that your idea is worth the cost.

Research

Do some research online to find an interesting new technology for your lab unit. It can be a technology that’s still in development or an existing technology that’s new and improved. It should relate to your specialty in some way.

Once you’ve found a new technology you like, answer the following questions.

1. What is the technology and how does it work? (one to two sentences)

2. How does your technology relate to your specialty? (one to two sentences)

3. What interests you about this technology? Why did you choose it? (two to three sentences)

Proposal

Now it’s time to convince the boss. Write a proposal to your manager about why your lab unit should have this great new technology. Your proposal should answer the following questions:

1. When was the technology developed? Give a brief history of the technology, including any important names and dates. Is it still being refined, or is it ready for use? (two to three sentences)

2. Why is this technology better than older technology? What are its benefits? (two to three sentences)

3. Has the technology been used in any criminal cases recently? If so, describe one. If not, give an example of how you think it could be used in a modern criminal case. (two to three sentences)

4. Give an example of a criminal case from the past that would have benefited from this technology, if it had existed back then. (two to three sentences)

5. Are there any drawbacks to the technology or challenges in using it? Can it be further improved? Explain. (two to three sentences)

6. Sum up your findings. Why should your lab get this technology? (two to three sentences)

Table Grading Rubric