Advanced Crime Scene & Evidence Analysis

This unit advances students’ competency in analyzing trace evidence, postmortem investigations, ballistics, questioned documents, explosives, and toxicology. Building on foundational evidence-collection skills from earlier units, it emphasizes laboratory interpretation, documentation, and courtroom communication to prepare students for integrative casework in the final unit.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze crime-scene trace evidence using Locard’s Exchange Principle to identify, prioritize, document, and preserve hair, fibers, blood, bodily fluids, fingerprints, toolmarks, and gunshot residue while maintaining chain-of-custody procedures.
• Apply forensic laboratory techniques to examine and compare ballistic rifling, toolmark and indentation patterns, questioned documents and inks, and gunshot residue, and interpret results to support linkage of evidence to weapons or sources.
• Evaluate postmortem findings—including autopsy reports, time-of-death indicators, toxicology results, and signs of electrocution, inhalation injury, fire trauma, or decomposition—to determine probable cause and manner of death and support victim identification and facial reconstruction.
• Demonstrate professional communication and legal responsibilities by preparing clear autopsy and investigative reports, presenting expert testimony, assessing competency and sanity issues, and employing investigative strategies to locate missing persons and track serial offenders.