Train to be a detective - crime scene investigation training for students, schools, colleges, university and police

Unit 23 BTEC National Diploma in Applied Science, Forensic Evidence Collection and Analysis

confidence building and collaboration with crime scene investigation courses

The learners will follow a major crime scene investigation using a practical approach to forensic evidence collection and analysis. The aim of this course is to enable learners to develop skills in using chemical, physical and biological techniques in the collection, analysis and reporting of forensic evidence. The unit also gives an overview of the methods used to present results.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit a learner should:
1 Be able to gather forensic evidence from a simulated crime scene using appropriate methods
2 Be able to use chemical techniques to analyse evidence from a simulated crime scene
3 Be able to use physical techniques to analyse evidence from a simulated crime scene
4 Be able to use biological techniques to analyse evidence from a simulated crime scene
5 Be able to report the analysis of evidence from a simulated crime scene.

During the course we cover Learning Outcomes 1, 3 and 5 in a practical setting and discuss outcomes 2 and 4.

This course is ideal for blended learning and curriculum development and enrichment. It provides student opportunities for experience in preservation of evidence and digital evidence. Perfect for collaboration and confidence building for the students.

The course has a strong focus on the following aspects of BTEC Unit 32: Forensic Evidence Collection and Analysis

1 - Be able to gather forensic evidence from a simulated crime scene using appropriate methods

Evidence: targeting, documenting and recovery of trace materials; characterisation and comparison; marks
and impressions

Health and safety: Health and Safety Act 1974; Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
Regulations 1996; Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992; use of disposable
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Preservation of scene and sampling: observation and recording of the scene; restriction of access; search
for material of potential evidential value; packaging and labelling; storage and transmission to laboratory;
continuity and chain of evidence

Analysis and evaluation: prevention of contamination; security; records; full documentation of procedures
and methods

3 - Be able to use physical techniques to analyse evidence from a simulated crime scene

Images/photography: traffic; surveillance; public order offences; support team at major incidents; crime
scene; high quality record of exhibits, eg taking devices apart

Ballistics: firearms (hand guns, rifles and shotguns; rifling, ballistic fingerprinting, propellants, micro
stamping); bullets and cartridges; calibre; discharge residue; wound patterns; trajectory

Document examination: handwriting (cursive, printing and signatures); printed documents (typewriters,
photocopiers, laser printers, ink jet printers); paper; ink

5 - Be able to report the analysis of evidence from a simulated crime scene

Documentation: case file; scene of crime documentation (crime scene sketches, evidence labels, cordon
log, photographs); laboratory analysis forms; expert witness statement

Individualisation of evidence: types of evidence that will allow a perpetrator to be individualised
Interpretation of evidence: draw rational and balanced conclusions from observations of circumstances of
the crime scene; test results and measurements; probability of validity; reconstruction of events

Presentation of evidence: court case preparation and verbal presentation of evidence; expert witness
statement (written); expert opinion (verbal)

The course also discusses the theory behind the following aspects of BTEC Unit 32: Forensic Evidence Collection and Analysis

2 - Be able to use chemical techniques to analyse evidence from a simulated crime scene

Spectrometry: instrumental techniques; mass spectrometry; infrared; ultraviolet; colorimetry

Chromatography: separation of mixtures eg paper, column, thin layer (TLC), gas (GC), high performance
liquid (HPLC)
Chemical enhancement: fingerprints (ninhydrin, silver nitrate, iodine, amido black, and cyanoacrylate
fuming).

Chemical presumptive tests: bodily fluids (blood, semen, saliva); poisons

Toxicology: science of poisons (anions, corrosive poisons, gaseous and volatile poisons, metal and metalloid
poisons, pesticides, toxins, and drugs of abuse); instrumental analysis; effects; antidotes; specimen
collection (ante and post mortem)

4 - Be able to use biological techniques to analyse evidence from a simulated crime scene

Biological evidence: blood group analysis; genetics (DNA sequencing, genetic fingerprints); fingerprints
(four basic patterns, minutiae and ridge counting); hair and fibre identification and analysis; bone and
skeleton physiology

Microscopy: measurement and comparative microscopy

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