Crime Scene Investigation Course

Lesson 1 • Legal Framework for Evidence

Covers admissibility standards, constitutional protections, and search authority. Connects legal compliance to evidence integrity in court.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to the Scientific Method

Applies hypothesis-driven thinking to scene analysis and evidence interpretation. Grounds all subsequent investigative techniques in objective reasoning.

Lesson 3 • Crime Scene Classification

Introduces primary, secondary, and tertiary scene types and their investigative implications. Builds scene-assessment vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Safety and Personal Protective Equipment

Covers biological, chemical, and physical hazards present at crime scenes. Proper PPE selection prevents contamination and protects investigator health.

Lesson 1 • Photography and Videography Techniques

Teaches systematic photo documentation from overview to close-up scales. Visual records support all subsequent analysis and courtroom presentation.

Lesson 2 • 3D Scanning and Emerging Documentation Tools

Introduces laser scanning, photogrammetry, and drone-based documentation. These tools enhance accuracy and are increasingly expected in complex cases.

Lesson 3 • Establishing and Controlling the Scene

Covers perimeter setup, access control, and scene log maintenance. Proper control prevents contamination and preserves evidence integrity.

Lesson 4 • Sketching and Mapping the Scene

Introduces hand-drawn and digital scene sketching with accurate measurements. Sketches provide spatial context that photographs alone cannot convey.

Lesson 1 • Biological Evidence Collection

Covers collection of blood, saliva, hair, and tissue with contamination controls. Biological evidence is highly probative and requires strict handling protocols.

Lesson 2 • Evidence Recognition Principles

Trains systematic visual scanning and pattern recognition for diverse evidence types. Recognition is the prerequisite for all collection and analysis steps.

Lesson 3 • Trace and Impression Evidence

Addresses collection of fibers, glass, soil, and impression evidence. Trace evidence links suspects, victims, and scenes through transfer principles.

Lesson 4 • Digital and Electronic Evidence

Introduces recognition and initial handling of devices, storage media, and network evidence. Improper handling destroys digital evidence before lab analysis.

Lesson 1 • Evidence Tracking Systems

Covers manual logs, barcode systems, and RFID-based tracking platforms. Automated tracking reduces human error and improves accountability.

Lesson 2 • Evidence Storage and Security

Addresses secure storage environments for biological, digital, and physical items. Improper storage degrades evidence and compromises case outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Chain of Custody Fundamentals

Defines chain of custody and explains its legal and investigative importance. Every transfer of evidence must be documented to withstand legal challenge.

Lesson 1 • Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems

Introduces AFIS database submission, search logic, and candidate verification. Database searches extend identification beyond known suspect comparisons.

Lesson 2 • Fingerprint Science Fundamentals

Covers ridge skin anatomy, print types, and classification systems. Scientific grounding enables accurate identification and courtroom explanation.

Lesson 3 • Lifting and Preserving Developed Prints

Covers tape lifts, gelatin lifters, and photography for preserving developed prints. Preservation method must match the development technique used.

Lesson 4 • Fingerprint Comparison and Reporting

Applies ACE-V methodology to compare latent prints with known exemplars. Standardized methodology ensures defensible and reproducible conclusions.

Lesson 1 • Documenting and Reporting BPA Findings

Covers photography, sketching, and written reporting specific to bloodstain patterns. Reports must distinguish observations from interpretations clearly.

Lesson 2 • Physics of Blood Behavior

Explains surface tension, viscosity, and impact dynamics that govern stain formation. Physical principles underpin all pattern interpretation that follows.

Lesson 3 • Area of Origin Determination

Teaches stringing and trigonometric methods to locate the three-dimensional origin. Origin determination reconstructs victim and assailant positions.

Lesson 4 • Impact and Projection Patterns

Analyzes medium-velocity impact spatter, gunshot spatter, and arterial spurting. Pattern type narrows the mechanism and force involved in the event.

Lesson 1 • Firearms and Toolmark Evidence

Addresses collection of firearms, cartridge cases, and toolmark evidence for lab submission. Proper handling preserves microscopic marks critical for comparison.

Lesson 2 • DNA Evidence Fundamentals

Covers STR profiling, touch DNA, and mixture interpretation basics. DNA is the most powerful identification tool available to investigators.

Lesson 3 • Interpreting and Applying Lab Reports

Teaches how to read forensic reports, understand statistical expressions, and apply findings. Misreading lab results leads to flawed investigative conclusions.

Lesson 4 • Forensic Laboratory Structure and Disciplines

Maps the major forensic science disciplines and their analytical capabilities. Knowing lab resources enables investigators to submit the right evidence.

Lesson 1 • Final Case Report and Courtroom Preparation

Guides production of a comprehensive reconstruction report and prepares students for testimony. The final report must be clear, objective, and defensible under cross-examination.

Lesson 2 • Shooting Incident Reconstruction

Integrates trajectory analysis, GSR, and ballistic evidence to reconstruct shootings. Shooter and victim positions are determined through physical evidence alone.

Lesson 3 • Event Sequencing and Timeline Building

Applies physical evidence to establish the sequence and timing of events. Accurate timelines support or refute suspect and witness accounts.

Lesson 4 • Staged Scene Recognition

Identifies physical indicators that a scene has been deliberately altered. Recognizing staging prevents false investigative conclusions.