Forensic Science applies the knowledge of science so that accurate and objective information reflects the events that have occurred at a crime. This is a lab oriented course that focuses on procedures and practices in identifying, collecting, preserving and analyzing physical evidence.

Laboratory investigations employ techniques including, but not limited to, examinations of haris, fibers and paint, forensic toxicology of drugs and poisons, DNA analysis, and crime scene reconstruction using the scientific method.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• How does the scientific process allow us to learn more about the world?
• How does forensic science service the community and law?
• What is the goal of forensic science and how can it be attained?
• How do different disciplines in science aid in the forensic science process?

COURSE INFORMATION

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What is forensic science and how is it apoplied to solving crimes?
• What types of physical evidence can be scientifically analyzed and how is this information used in solving crimes?

CONTENT TOPICS

• What is forensic science?
  • definition of forensic science and criminalistics
  • brief history
  • overview of services
  • areas in forensic science
• Physical Evidence
  • common types of evidence
    • transient, pattern, conditional, tranfer
    • blood, hair, fibers, etc.
  • significance of physical
  • Locard's exchange principle
  • evidence (linkage)
  • trace and transfer evidence
  • general methods of analysis

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• describe how forensic science is founded in the scientific method.
• summarize services utilized in forensic science.
• list various types of physical evidence.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• categorize various types of physical evidence.
• infer the significance of physical evidence discovered at a crime scene.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• make connections to the scientific method by the following:
  • generalizing as to the role individuals play in solving a crime;
  • hypothesizing as to the significance of the physical evidence; and
  • explaining the degree to which the physical evidence can be categorized.

COURSE INFORMATION

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• What is the forensic significance of hairs and fibers, what is the significance of DNA?
• How can hairs, fibers and DNA be scientifically analyzed and further used to solve crimes.

CONTENT TOPICS

• Hairs and fibers
  • morphology of hair
  • collection and preservation of hair
  • identification and comparison of hair
  • types of fibers
  • identification and comparison fibers
• DNA
  • overview of DNA
  • CODIS (Combined DNA Index System)
  • collection and preservation of biological evidence for DNA analysis
  • DNA analysis

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• describe the major components of DNA.
• recognize the identifying characteristics of hairs and fibers.
• summarize the significance of hair, fibers and DNA analysis in forensic science.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• classify hairs and fibers.
• describe the scientific processes each test requries for analysis of hairs, fibers and DNA.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• examine hair, fibers and DNA samples.
• compare results of forensic testing.
• describe patterns that may be present between DNA, hair and fiber results.
• infer consistencies between samples that show identical results.

COURSE INFORMATION

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How can certain kinds of chemical evidence be recognized and utilized in solving crimes?
• What scientific processes are used to evaluate and analyze chemical evidence?

CONTENT TOPICS

• Paint analysis
  • properties and variations of paint
  • collection and preservation of paint evidence
  • forensic examination of paint
• Forensic toxicology and drugs
  • drug dependence
  • classification of drugs
  • drug control laws
  • drug identification
  • collection and preservation of drugs
  • role of the toxicologist
  • techniques used in toxicology
  • significance of toxicological findings
• Arson and explosions
  • chemistry of fire
  • fire scene
  • collection and preservation of arson evidence
  • analysis of flammable residue
  • types of explosives collection and analysis of explosives

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• describe the different methods for analysis of this evidence.
• identify the different types of chemical evidence.
• list different characteristics of the chemical evidence that may be present for interpretation.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• distinguish between characteristics of the chemical evidence that may be present for interpretation.
• examine characteristics of the evidence that are present in a given sample.
• hypothesize as to the significance of the chemical evidence.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• examine chemical evidence from known and unknown sources.
• compare the chracteristics of the evidence.
• draw conclusions as to whether the two items came from a single source.

COURSE INFORMATION

FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How does the scientific method structure the manner in which the events of a crime are reconstructed?
• How does science, in conjunction with other investigative techniques, solve crimes?

CONTENT TOPICS

• Investigative techniques
  • investigative leads
  • surveillance techniques
• Crime scene reconstruction and the scientific method
  • 3 general types of reconstruction
  • scientific method
  • analysis of forensic information

CONTENT OBJECTIVES

INITIAL UNDERSTANDING The student will . . .

• describe how the basis for forensic science is founded upon the scientific method.
• recognize the limitations on crime scene reconstruction.
• list other investigative techniques.

DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETATION The student will . . .

• classify the three kinds of crime scene reconstruction.
• describe the scientific method and how it relates to crime scene reconstruction.
• infer the significance of other investigative techniques.

MAKING CONNECTIONS The student will . . .

• utilize the scientific method to reconstruct a crime.
• examine information provided at crime scenes.
• compare results of forensic testing.
• describe patterns that may be present bewteen the crime scene,. scientific evidence and other available information.
• hypothesize the events of a crime using scientific data to support their analysis.