The CSI Effect: Develop a Realistic Forensics Program

1
The CSI EffectDevelop a Realistic Forensics
Program

• Sheree Tovey, M.Ed. Criminal Justice
• Shaw High School, Muscogee County

2
Video clip
3
Popularity of shows

• Name a few.
• CSI Crime Scene Investigation
• CSI New York
• CSI Miami
• Law and Order
• Forensic Files
• Cold Case Files

4
Television Crime Solving

• Rolls each of these jobs into one
• police investigator
• criminal science technician
• lab technician

5
CSIs Dress Code

• Jeans
• Plunging neck-lines

6
CSIs education

• Bachelors degree in any area for CSIs.
• Crime Scene technicians
• 300 hours of advanced training in evidence
  collection and analysis, providing court
  testimony
• intern with a certified technician for an
  additional 40 hours.

7
Impact on the court and jury

• Unrealistic expectations
• Incorrect beliefs about evidence collection and
  abilities in processing
• Misunderstanding of DNA being ever present

8
Georgia System of Crime Labs

• Decatur-Headquarters Augusta
• Columbus Macon
• Moultrie Savannah
• Summerville Cleveland

9
Services Available

• Chemistry-Fire analysis and drugs
• Firearms
• Forensics biology-DNA
• Fingerprints
• Medical Examiner autopsy
• Questioned documents-handwriting
• Trace Evidence containing paint, plastic, hair,
  fiber, glass, fractured materials, general
  materials, footwear and tire impressions and
  gunshot residue.

10
DNA

• GBI lab first crime lab in USA to implement the
  latest method of DNA analysis, Capillary
  Electrophoresis (CE).
• DNA samples can be processed in 24 hours with a
  two week turnaround.

11
Ballistics

• Current turnaround is 90-120 days.
• This is largely due to a shortage in technicians.
• Technicians take 18-24 months to train.

12
Fingerprints most agencies need nine matching
points
13
Footwear and Tire Impressions

• Processed at Columbus Lab
• 92 of cases are resolved within 30 days.

14
GA CI and Forensics

• Currently last of 4 levels of Public Safety
  program in state.
• Relates to CSI competition at SkillsUSA on state
  and national level

15
Georgia High School Forensics

• Program covers each of the three areas of CSI
• Crime Lab Tech
• Crime Scene Investigator
• Police Investigator

16
Crime Lab Tech

• Learn basics of evidence processing
• Autopsy
• Fingerprint Development
• Trace Evidence (hairs and fibers)
• Paint
• Glass Fracture
• DNA
• Ballistics and Tool Impressions

17
Crime Scene Investigator

• Photography and Video
• Searching Techniques
• Fingerprint Collection
• Impression Evidence (shoes and teeth)
• Evidence Collection and Packaging

18
Criminal Investigator/Detective

• Blood Spatter
• Chain of Evidence
• Interviewing and Interrogations
• Report Writing
• Crime Scene Diagramming
• Signs/methods of Death

19
Process

• Learn basics
• Apply in complete investigation
• Three student team
• Investigate scene, collect evidence and process
  scene, interview witnesses and suspects, compile
  report of investigation, serve warrants, effect
  arrest.

20
I dont know anything about forensics

• How do I make it real when I dont know what real
  is?

21
Advisory Board

• Director of Columbus Crime Lab
• Muscogee County Coroner
• Muscogee County Sheriff
• Columbus P.D. Patrolman
• CPD Detective
• CPD Identification Technician (CSI)
• FBI Agents

22
Co-curricular Education

• Science
• Language Arts
• History
• Geometry

23
Equipment List and Start Up Money

• Textbooks 3000
• Fingerprint equipment 200
• Evidence bags 50
• Tweezers 30
• Microscopes and slides 2000
• Fake blood and fluid droppers 15
• Rulers and protractors 30
• Clip boards 25
• Computers (10) 5000
• Foil trays, sand and plaster of paris 30

24
LE Careers

• Sworn
• Non-sworn

25
Sworn

• Police Officer/Detective
• Crime Scene Investigator
• State Investigator/CSI
• Federal Investigator/CSI

26
Non-Sworn (Civilian)

• Crime Lab Technician
• Private Lab Technician

27
Post-Secondary Education

• Local Law Enforcement
• GED or high school diploma
• State and Federal LE
• Bachelors Degree, minimum

28
GA Tech Schools with Criminal Justice/Law
Enforcement

• Albany Tech Altamaha Tech
• Appalachian Tech Augusta Tech
• Coosa Valley Eastern Central
• Griffin Tech Gwinnett Tech
• Lanier Tech Moultrie Tech
• Northwestern Tech Savannah Tech
• Southeastern Tech Southwest Georgia
• Okefenokee Tech Valdosta Tech
• West Georgia Tech

29
Tech Schools with Forensic Science

• Ogeechee Technical College
• Griffin Technical College
• Appalachian Technical College
• East Central Technical College

30
GA colleges with CJ, BS

• Georgia Highlands Dalton State
• Clayton State Augusta State
• N. Georgia State Gainesville State
• Columbus State E. GA College
• Middle GA GA State
• UGA Darton
• Waycross Ft. Valley
• Valdosta Armstron Atlantic
• Coastal GA South GA
• Savannah State Kennesaw State
• Albany State Bainbridge College
• Baldwin College

31
Forensics Science

• Albany State
• Darton College

32
Crime Lab Requirements

• B.S. in a natural science or forensics with
  emphasis in natural science

33
SkillsUSA

• Related Competitions
• CSI competition
• Tech/Prep
• Community Service