Forensics Course

Lesson 1 • Legal Framework for Forensic Evidence

Explains admissibility standards and expert witness roles. Connects scientific rigor to courtroom requirements without referencing specific legal codes.

Lesson 2 • Forensic Laboratory Organisation

Describes lab structure, accreditation requirements, and quality management systems. Students understand how institutional design affects evidence integrity.

Lesson 3 • The Scientific Method in Forensics

Applies hypothesis-driven reasoning to forensic casework. Reinforces why reproducibility and objectivity are non-negotiable standards.

Lesson 1 • Scene Recognition and Safety

Covers initial response protocols and hazard identification. Establishes the priority of personnel safety before evidence collection begins.

Lesson 2 • Evidence Collection and Packaging

Details collection tools, packaging materials, and labelling protocols for each evidence type. Errors at this stage can render evidence inadmissible.

Lesson 3 • Scene Reconstruction Basics

Introduces logical inference from physical evidence to reconstruct events. Connects scene findings to investigative hypotheses developed in Chapter 1.

Lesson 4 • Evidence Recognition and Classification

Trains students to identify physical, biological, and trace evidence categories. Proper classification drives appropriate collection and preservation decisions.

Lesson 1 • Camera Systems and Settings

Covers DSLR, mirrorless, and macro systems relevant to forensic work. Proper exposure and focus settings directly affect image evidentiary value.

Lesson 2 • Digital Image Management and Integrity

Addresses file formats, metadata preservation, and hash verification. Students learn to maintain image authenticity from capture to courtroom.

Lesson 3 • Systematic Scene Photography

Establishes the overview-midrange-close-up sequence for complete scene coverage. Systematic sequencing ensures no evidence relationship is missed.

Lesson 1 • Fingerprint Science Fundamentals

Explains ridge skin formation, permanence, and individuality. Biological basis justifies fingerprints as a reliable identification tool.

Lesson 2 • Automated Fingerprint Database Searching

Introduces AFIS encoding, candidate list review, and confirmation workflows. Database searching extends identification capability beyond known suspects.

Lesson 3 • Latent Print Development Methods

Covers powder, chemical, and optical development techniques by surface type. Method selection depends on substrate and environmental conditions.

Lesson 4 • Comparison and Identification Standards

Applies ACE-V methodology to latent-to-exemplar comparison. Students understand how examiner conclusions are documented and verified.

Lesson 1 • DNA Database Searching and Cold Hits

Explains national DNA database structure, upload criteria, and cold-hit investigation protocols. Database matches require confirmatory sampling before prosecution.

Lesson 2 • Mixture Interpretation and Statistics

Addresses deconvolution of multi-contributor profiles and probabilistic genotyping. Statistical frameworks quantify the evidential value of a match.

Lesson 3 • DNA Extraction and Quantification

Explains organic, Chelex, and differential extraction methods. Quantification determines whether sufficient template exists for profiling.

Lesson 4 • STR Profiling and Capillary Electrophoresis

Details PCR amplification of STR loci and electrophoretic separation. Students interpret electropherograms and identify allele designations.

Lesson 1 • Immunoassay Screening Methods

Explains enzyme immunoassay and lateral flow screening for drug classes. Screening results require confirmation before evidentiary reporting.

Lesson 2 • Toxicological Interpretation and Reporting

Connects concentration data to pharmacological effect and cause-of-death opinions. Reports must distinguish analytical findings from interpretive conclusions.

Lesson 3 • Forensic Drug Chemistry

Applies colour tests, microcrystalline tests, and spectroscopy to seized substance analysis. Analysts classify substances for regulatory and investigative purposes.

Lesson 4 • Confirmatory Chromatographic Analysis

Details GC-MS and LC-MS/MS as gold-standard confirmation techniques. Chromatographic data provide compound identity and quantitative concentration.

Lesson 1 • Postmortem Changes and Time of Death

Covers livor mortis, rigor mortis, algor mortis, and decomposition stages. Estimating postmortem interval requires integrating multiple physical indicators.

Lesson 2 • Cause, Manner, and Mechanism of Death

Defines and differentiates the three death certification concepts. Accurate certification requires integrating scene, autopsy, and toxicological data.

Lesson 3 • Medicolegal Death Investigation System

Describes the roles of medical examiners, coroners, and scene investigators. Jurisdictional authority determines who investigates and certifies death.

Lesson 4 • Autopsy Procedures and Documentation

Walks through external examination, internal dissection, and organ evaluation. Systematic autopsy documentation creates a permanent evidentiary record.

Lesson 1 • Network and Log Analysis

Teaches packet capture review, firewall log parsing, and intrusion artifact identification. Network evidence establishes communication patterns and attack timelines.

Lesson 2 • Mobile Device Forensics

Addresses acquisition tiers, app data extraction, and cloud-linked evidence. Mobile devices contain location, communication, and behavioural data critical to investigations.

Lesson 3 • File System and Artifact Analysis

Examines file metadata, deleted file recovery, and registry artifacts. Artifact analysis reconstructs user activity and system events.

Lesson 4 • Forensic Acquisition Methods

Covers write-blocking, imaging, and hash verification for physical and logical acquisitions. Verified forensic copies protect original evidence from alteration.