Criminal Justice - CJ 209

Course Description

This course acquaints students with proper techniques of criminalistics. Students will have an opportunity to perform investigations in simulated crime scene situations using scientific investigative techniques involving collection, presentation and interpretation of physical evidence.

Prerequisites

(A requirement that must be completed before taking this course.)

Course Competencies

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• Summarize the capabilities of a crime laboratory.
• Investigate crime scenes by recognizing, collecting, and preserving physical evidence.
• Prepare latent fingerprints for classification and identification.
• Acquire familiarity with recognizing, photographing, and collecting impression evidence.
• Examine fired evidence such as bullets, shot shells, and fired cartridge cases to determine type of firearm.
• Acquire power of observation skills at crime scenes for documentation, photography, and sketching.
• Create an accurate crime scene report for an actual crime scene.
• Acquire an understanding of techniques and sensitivity of Biology and DNA evidence and analysis.
• Explore the manufacture and analysis of fibers in criminal investigation.
• Evaluate evidence using microscopy.
• Explore the scientific instrumentation used in forensic analysis of narcotics, paints, and fibers.
• Acquire an understanding of decomposition of the human body and view autopsy footage.
• Explore the use of computer forensics to assist in solving crime.
• Utilize power of observation to process a mock crime scene to develop conclusions.
• Interpret bloodstains at crime scenes to reconstruct events.
• Identify low explosive powders and improvised explosive devices.
• Examine automotive lamps to determine on or off during a collision.

Course Schedule