YOU MUST SATISFY THESE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
Progression to level 3 of Forensic Award or Biology with Forensic Science

YOU WILL NEED ACCESS TO THESE RESOURCES:
Module Handbook
Crime Scene House, Mock Courtroom (Law), Criminalistics Laboratory, Analytical Laboratory
Evidence Store
Blackboard VLE

THESE LEARNING STRATEGIES WILL OCCUPY YOUR TIME:
Analysis of crime scene and evidence collection (1x 2h, 1x 3h and 1 x 4h); meetings/discussions with tutor and feedback (6h); analysis of evidence (in laboratory - 56h), in addition you will have regular team discussions. The remaining part of your independent study will be taken up by analysing the results and producing the reports. Students will carry out a crime scene analysis and produce a report as a first formative assessment, and will carry out a second crime scene with analysis of evidence and continuity of evidence constituting the principal part of formative assessment. These two elements of formative assessment will receive feedback in preparation for the third crime scene on which the majority of the summative assessment is based

In this double module you will work in small groups to investigate three selected simulations of crime scenes. The selected scenes may differ from year to year and will cover situations such as domestic disputes, breaking and entering, violent struggles, drugs raids, car crime, murder etc. Each group will liaise with the module tutor to approve the plan for practical analysis of the evidence collected at the scenes. The groups will be assigned a time per crime scene and will be observed during the investigation of the scenes and collection of evidence by the module tutor or second assessor. Analysis of the evidence will involve aspects such as: dusting, lifting, developing and analysing fingerprints; analysis of hairs, fibres, glass fragments, dirt samples etc; analysis and determination purity of any suspect powders, particularly but not exclusively drugs; obtaining casts and electrostatic lifts of footwear; obtaining casts of tool marks; documenting (photographing, sketching etc.) of the crime scenes; DNA profiling of blood, semen, saliva etc.
Based on the results of the analysis, the group will produce a report, which will include an individual critical assessment of how their group performed and may improve for subsequent scenes. Reports 1 and 2 will be formatively assessed and feedback given before undertaking the third scene. Each of the students will undertake a presentation of their analysis of the evidence from the third of the crime scenes in a courtroom situation, acting as an expert witness.

AND REFER TO THESE TEXTS, TITLE, AUTHOR, PAGES:

The first three texts on the list are general texts, and the rest of the list contains examples of specialist texts and should not be considered as exclusive.
'Forensic Science', Jackson and Jackson, Pearson (2004)
"Crime Scene to Court", P.White (ed) RSC (1998)
'Crime Scene: Methods of Detection", Nickell and Fischer, University Press of Kentucky (1999)
"Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Science", 8th edition, Safrestein, Prentice-Hall (2003)
"Footwear Impression Evidence", Bodzink, CRC (1999)
"Interpretation of Bloodstain at Crime Scenes", James and Eckbert, CRC (1998)
"Friction Ridge Skin Comparison and Identification of Fingerprints", Cowger, CRC (1992)

WHICH WILL BE ASSESSED BY:
Assessment Code:

Additional Assessment Information:
Students will be required to complete 4 pieces of summative assessment.

1. Observation of performance in processing the crime scenes and evidence collection. (outcomes 1-2) 10%
2. Quality and content of contemporaneous notes kept during laboratory analysis (outcomes 2-3) 10%
3. Group report of crime scene 3 ? adjusted for peer assessment (reports from scenes 1 and 2 will be formative assessment) (outcomes 2-6) 50%
4. Preparation of a court report and its presentation in a courtroom setting (outcomes 1-4, 7) 30%

Students will be provided with formative assessment and feedback via
Formal sessions with the tutor(s) in regards to reports produced for Crime Scenes 1 and 2

The module handbook will provide information of the criteria used to judge performance during observational and written sections of the assessment