Criminalistics

Teacher

Mr. Sanjeev S Koni

Category

Core Courses

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Course Name : Criminalistics

Code(Credit) : BSFS0407(4-2-0)

Course Objectives

To gain knowledge about crime scene and its processing including securing, searching and documentation as well as collection and packaging of evidences.

Learning Outcomes

  •  The methods of securing, searching and documenting crime scenes.
     The art of collecting, packaging and preserving different types of physical and trace evidence at crime scenes.
     The legal importance of chain of custody.
     The tools and techniques for analysis of different types of crime scene evidence.

Course Syllabus

Module I: ( 12 hrs)
Crime Scene Management
Types of crime scenes – indoor and outdoor. Securing and isolating the crime scene.
Crime scene search methods. Safety measures at crime scenes. Documentation of crime scenes – photography, videography, sketching and recording notes.
Duties of first responders at crime scenes. Coordination between police personnel and forensic scientists at crime scenes. The evaluation of 5Ws (who?, what?, when?, where?, why?) and 1H (how?). Crime scene logs.

Module II: (10 hrs)
Crime Scene Evidence
Classification of crime scene evidence – physical and trace evidence. Locard principle.
Collection, labeling, sealing of evidence. Hazardous evidence. Preservation of evidence.
Chain of custody. Reconstruction of crime scene.

Module III: ( 15 hrs)
Forensic Physics
Glass evidence – collection, packaging, analysis. Matching of glass samples by mechanical fit and refractive index measurements. Analysis by spectroscopic methods. Fracture analysis and direction of impact.
Paint evidence – collection, packaging and preservation. Analysis by destructive and non-destructive methods. Importance of paint evidence in hit and run cases.
Fibre evidence – artificial and man-made fibres. Collection of fibre evidence. Identification and comparison of fibres.
Soil evidence – importance, location, collection and comparison of soil samples.
Cloth evidence – importance, collection, analysis of adhering material. Matching of pieces.
Toolmark evidence. Classification of toolmarks. Forensic importance of toolmarks. Collection, preservation and matching of toolmarks. Restoration of erased serial numbers and engraved marks. Forensic gemmology.

Criminalistics Lab
 To prepare a report on evaluation of crime scene.
 To reconstruct a crime scene (outdoor and indoor).
 To compare soil samples by density gradient method.
 To compare paint samples by physical matching method.
 To compare paint samples by thin layer chromatography method.
 To compare glass samples by refractive index method.

Text Books:
1. M. Byrd, Crime Scene Evidence: A Guide to the Recovery and Collection of Physical Evidence, CRC Press, Boca Raton (2001).
Reference Books:
1. T.J. Gardener and T.M. Anderson, Criminal Evidence, 4th Ed., Wadsworth, Belmont (2001).
2. S.H. James and J.J. Nordby, Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques, 2nd Edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton (2005).
3. W.J. Tilstone, M.L. Hastrup and C. Hald, Fisher’s, Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, CRC Press, Boca Raton (2013).

Session Plan

Session 1

Session 2

Types of crime scenes – indoor and outdoor. Securing and isolating the crime scene

Session 3

Crime scene search methods

Session 4

Safety measures at crime scenes

Session 5

Documentation of crime scenes – photography, videography, sketching and recording notes.

Session 6

Documentation of crime scenes – photography, videography.

Session 7

Documentation of crime scenes - sketching and recording notes.

Session 8

Duties of first responders at crime scenes

Session 9

Coordination between police personnel and forensic scientists at crime scenes

Session 10

The evaluation of 5Ws (who?, what?, when?, where?, why?) and 1H (how?). Crime scene logs.

Session 12

Classification of crime scene evidence – physical and trace evidence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIMWD1sL2-c.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N6lnU1rxFY.

Session 13

Session 14

Collection, labeling, sealing of evidence.

Session 15

Hazardous evidence

Session 16

Preservation of evidence

Session 17

Chain of custody.

Session 18

Session 19

Reconstruction of crime scene

Session 20

Reconstruction of crime scene

Session 21

Forensic Physics

Session 22

Glass evidence – collection, packaging, analysis

Examination of glass fragments

Glass

https://youtu.be/TlKaHu8WsV8.

Session 23

Matching of glass samples by mechanical fit and refractive index measurements.

Session 24

Analysis by spectroscopic methods. Fracture analysis and direction of impact.

Session 26

collection, packaging and preservation

Session 27

Analysis by destructive and non-destructive methods.

Session 28

Importance of paint evidence in hit and run cases.

Session 29

Fibre evidence – artificial and man-made fibres

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTg6YpOntz0.

https://youtu.be/xFZEoTz_Z8g.

Session 30

Collection of fibre evidence

Session 31

Identification and comparison of fibres.

Session 32

Session 33

Soil evidence –  location, collection and comparison of soil samples

Session 34

Cloth evidence – importance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7doYIEaa2r8.

Session 35

Cloth evidence –  collection, analysis of adhering material. Matching of pieces.

Session 36

Toolmark evidence. Classification of toolmarks

Forensic examination of tool marks

tool mark

Session 37

Forensic importance of toolmarks. Collection, preservation and matching of toolmarks.

Session 38

Restoration of erased serial numbers and engraved marks. Forensic gemmology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtfipsqYG5s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK62vJtZsJA.

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