Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Forensic Methodology

• Unit Code

  SCH3217

• Year

  2016

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  1

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  

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Description

This unit will consolidate practical competencies introduced to the students in earlier forensic investigative units. It will also build on these practical skills and theory, enabling students to demonstrate a knowledge and ability to use the latest methods and equipment in forensic science. This will enable planning and execution of the best methods to use when approaching a crime scene. This unit will also cover specialised areas of Forensic Science that should be understood by all crime scene technicians.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass 1 units from SCH2143

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Collect appropriate forensic samples from various individual crime scenes based on Locards law and using basic crime scene equipment.
2. Conduct appropriate preliminary testing of selected samples (eg blood type and palynological samples) and objects (eg fingerprinting).
3. Identify features of skeletal remains that can aid in idenitfying/differentiating species, sex, age and race.
4. Outline the importance of court room skills and the delivery of expert testimony.
5. Preserve a crime scene prior to analysis and conduct a crime sceme assessment.
6. Search, seize and record (from a compliant subject and crime scene) forensic evidence.
7. Understand the principles and practices of Forensic Specialist areas such as Forensic Palynology, Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Entomology and Forensic Odonotology.
8. Undertsand the steps in conduct appropriate analysis on Palynological and Entomological evidence (including calculations of percent occurrance of pollen and post-mortem interval using fly larvae and other insect evidence).

Unit Content

1. Basic crime scene equipment for specific evidence types.
2. General forensic principles based on Locard's law, including evidence collection (evidence seizure and recording).
3. General principles of conserving, preparing, assessing, investigating and reconstruction of a crime scene.
4. Individual crime scenarios.
5. Sample analysis (Forensic Chemistry).
6. Specialised crime investigations (including Anthropology, Entomology, Palynology and Odontology).
7. Trends in Biometrics and Facial recognition.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Seminars, tutorials and practical laboratory classes.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Text References

• ^ Saferstein, R. (2009). Forensic science: From crime scene to the crime lab. Pearson Education.
• Brown, T.A. (2001). Gene cloning and DNA analysis: An introduction (4th ed.). Oxford: Blackwell Science, Ltd.
• Bowers, C.M. (2004). Forensic dental evidence: A field investigators handbook. Academic Press.
• Langford, A., Dean, J., Reed, R., Holmes, D., Weyers, J., & Jones, A. (2005). Practical skills in forensic science. Pearson Education.

Journal References

• Mildenhall (2006) Forensic Palynology: Why do it and how it works Forensic Science International 163, p163-172
• Wiltshire (2006) Hair as a source of forensic evidence in a murder investigation Forensic Science International 163, p241-248
• Journal of the Forensic Science Society
• Journal of Forensic Science
• Amendt, et al. (1007) Best Practice in Forensic Entomology - Standards and guidelines International Journal of Legal Medicine 121, p90-104
• Journal of Forensic Identification
• Australian Journal of Forensic Science

^ Mandatory reference

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