Schools

Schools: Learning Science with Forensic Investigations

High School Forensic Investigation and Mock Trial

As seen on Good Morning America, and onFOX News

--By Jane Burke japenland@aol.com
and Dr. Greg Hampikian: Greghampikian@bosiestate.edu

OUTLINE FOR TEACHERS

Past outreach for teachers
2005, July 6-10 Storrs, CT

Other great courses:
Virginia Commonwealth University Teachers' course

janelee.jpg (27562 bytes)
Jane Penland with our mentor and inspiration, Dr. Henry Lee
Photo copyright 1998 GregHampikian

This exercise allows students to use critical thinking to explore scientific principals through forensic investigation of a crime scene, and participation in a mock trial.

Planning the crime scenario

We scripted an accidental death this year (including a panicked witness who fled the scene.)

Choose the room: The crime scene should have limited access and yet be large enough for teams of 5 students (stock room, or prep room works well).

Plan the crime: Decide on the time of day. Why were suspect and victim in the room, was a weapon used? Act out the struggle (if there was one), explore motives (accidents work well), decide how the evidence will be discovered.

Develop a story line: An accidental death scenario is possible. We used a storyline in which the assistant principal went to a classroom to ask the teacher a question. The teacher had been cutting some vegetables in the classroom and went to get some beans from the prep room. The assistant principal saw the prep room door ajar and entered in. The teacher was startled, quickly turned to face the assistant principal and accidentally stabbed him to death. She then ran out and told no one.

Generate 5 suspects: Each suspect must have access to the crime room, and each should have visited the room recently.

Plant trace evidence with links to several suspects: fake blood (drops from and splatter), fibers (hair, clothing), cigarette butts, candy wrappers, clothing, bloody foot prints, soda can, mug with lip print (Chapstick works), glass or chrome with fingerprints (partial prints from several suspects).

Details: For your crime scene it is best to use a teachers' storage closet or other controlled access area. If the area is carpeted beware that even fake-blood stains. To prevent staining cover the floor with a plastic-lined drop cloth that has a fabric surface. We have paints in our closet and the drop cloth seemed quite natural there. Red paint spots on the drop cloth were also good confounding evidence that had to be distinguished from the blood. To determine if a spot is actually blood students can use a drop of hydrogen peroxide on the dried stains; real blood bubbles when a drop of hydrogen peroxide is placed on it. This reaction is due to the presence of the enzyme catalase in mammalian blood. Fortunately this test works even after the blood is dried onto a glass microscope slide. We prepare the slides for our students so that they never handle the beef (steak) blood that we use for this test. Note that ketchup, oil stains, coffee, and tobacco juice will not cause hydrogen peroxide to bubble.

A final note on blood. For our crime scene blood we have used ketchup or costume blood. For the catalase test we supply the students with samples from the crime scene (actually beef blood from meat.) Students must wear gloves when handling the blood slides (even though the stains are just dried steak juice.) In order to preserve the crime scene illusion, it is best if students wear gloves throughout the investigation.

Planting the evidence:
Fingerprints-We make sure that only partial fingerprints were left behind. Full prints might be incontrovertible.
Lip prints-full prints with lipstick on shiny mugs or Styrofoam
Clothing items-we used a wool sweater and earrings belonging to two different suspects
Fiber evidence-fibers from perpetrator's clothes or hair on victim, or in victim's hand
Blood splatter-consistent with the height of the perpetrator's arm. Make sure the angle of splatter is authentic, students will analyze this.
Foot prints-We use partial prints of the perpetrator, blood or mud stains on the drop cloth.
*Don't forget to add some confounding evidence-Items belonging to others, stray marks, blood-like spots, clothes, jewelry

Flow of activities
Time estimates inside (i) and outside (o) of class

I. Study genetics and DNA unit in class
(i, 1 week)

II. Teams of four or five students organized by teacher
(i, 10 minutes)

III. Teams perform research in forensics-One topic assigned to each team member
(o, 1-5 hours)

Serology and DNA
Fiber analysis and trace evidence
Latent fingerprinting
Firearms and weapons

IV. First Guest Speaker- "How to investigate a crime scene" We invited Fred Mays of the GBI, police detectives also can serve as excellent experts
(i, one block class period)

V. Design and set-up crime scene-(see "Planning the Crime Scenario" above)
(1-3 hours teacher prep)

VI. Students make observations and collect evidence. The first step is always documentation of the crime scene. A sketch with triangulated reference points is helpful. Photos or even videos are good as well. Blood drops and evidence should be numbered and labeled for later referencing. Other possible types of evidence and analysis include.
    A. Fibers (hair, clothing fibers) for microscopy. This can be done by
            applying the sticky side of tape to surfaces, the victim's clothes etc.
    B. Blood Evidence-splatter analysis (on wall consistent with perpetrator
            height)
    C. Weapon associated trace evidence-fingerprint (lifted by students using a dusting
            kit, available from Carolina Biological), blood ("sent out" for analysis)
    D. Bloody fingerprints and latent prints from surfaces-lifted using a latent
            fingerprint kit, (available from Carolina Biological, cat# AA-69-9810)
    E. Shoeprints
    F. Coffee-cup lip print (lipstick or Chapstick print)
    G. Test to distinguish red paint from blood (hydrogen peroxide test)
    H. Other physical evidence: for example jewelry at scene, phone message
    I.   Body of victim-this is not essential but we had the victim with a bleeding
          wound, face down over a bloodstain. (We realize that this may be a bit over the top.)
(i/o, 1-3 lab class periods)

VII. Other Guest Speakers-We invited four forensic experts from the Fort Gillem Army Forensic Unit located nearby. (Police department personnel are often willing to visit with the students.)
    A. Firearms-Mike Brooks
    B. Trace evidence-David Flohr
    C. Serologists-Daryl Meeks
    D. Latent Fingerprints--Donald Coffey
(i, one block class period)

VIII. Requests from suspects
    A. Hair samples (a few hairs with roots for microscopy)
    B. Shoe prints (on aluminum foil)
    C. Lip prints (lipstick on note cards)
    D. Fingerprints (ink pad on paper)
    E. Blood type (artificial samples may be supplied by teacher, we used prepared slides)
    F. Alibis
    G. Handwriting samples
    H. Questions about clothing
    I. Whereabouts on day of crime
    J. Corroborating witnesses
(o, time varies - student's own time)

IX. Analysis performed by teams-information is shared between teams
    Fibers under microscope (hair, cloth)
    Blood slides (supplied by teacher) from both suspects and victim
    Blood spots "transferred to microscope slides" by teacher (one is sickle celled)
    Hand writing analysis
    Foot print
    Fingerprints
    Lip print
    Crime scene sketch (photos and videos if available), reenactment
(i/o, 1-5 hours - students come in before and after school)

X. Each team chooses two "Top Suspects"
School public address system or TV announces a total of five suspects.
(i, time varies - due date set)

XI. Suspect interviews (whole class interrogation)
Each suspect faces entire class for 10 minutes, teams take turns asking questions. Suspects answer as they wish.
(i, one interview per day - last five minutes of class)

XII. Groups confer and request further information or samples from suspects.
(i/o, time varies - due date set)

XIII. Whole class decides on top two suspects-names are announced on school public address system or TV. Suspects donate "mouth swish cells for DNA analysis."
(i, 10 minutes)

XIV. Optional Trip to University Biology Lab-for lecture and demonstration of PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Students load electrophoresis gels with DNA samples "from crime scene, suspects and victim". If you can not do your own electrophoresis please feel free to print out our gel.
(o, full day field trip)

XV. Optional Guest Speaker-Lawyer or judge. Gives instructions on the trial process, the roles of court officers, instructions for jurors.
(i, one class period)

XVI. Students prepare the case against one suspect
1/3 of students assigned to defense team
1/3 of students assigned to prosecution team
1/3 of students act as jury
(i/o, 1-3 hours - students must work together outside of class)

XVII. Jury trial
Presided over by judge, law school student, or assistant principal
(See mock trial web site below)
Students assigned to prosecution and defense teams will research the case and decide courtroom strategies. It should be made clear to the teams that all students must speak. Division of duties could be opening argument, closing statement, each type of technical evidence, direct examination, cross examination etc.
Students assigned to the jury will hear the case and then deliberate before the (silent) class. This allows all students to have a speaking role.
(i, one block class period)

Assessment based on portfolios: (100 points total)

(15 pts.) 1. Report covering research on a specific area of forensics (see III. above)
Must cite at least three sources, including at least one government or university internet source

(20 pts.) 2. Guest speakers (4) - half page summary of notes

(10 pts.) 3. Notes/drawings from crime scene

(5 pts.) 4. Incident and supplemental reports (see forms above)

(10 pts.) 5. Notes from group analysis of evidence (most of this work is performed during lab)

(10 pts.) 6. Notes from Interviews of suspects (list of questions and answers with student notes)

(10 pts.) 7. Fieldtrip to local university lab - participation in lab (5 points) and notes (5 points)

(10 pts.) 8. Notes and materials for trial preparation (posters, overheads, PowerPoint, handouts)

(5 pts.) 9. Evaluation of project - half page summary

Additional points are given for:
1. Lab work
2. Trial presentation
3. Personal essay concerning the guilt or innocence of the chief suspect
4. Daily participation grades

Text
An excellent reference for teacher and student teams is
"Crime scene investigations, real life science labs for grades 6-12", by Pam walker and Elaine wood, Published by The Center for Applied research in Education, Simon and Shuester, 1998, ISBN# 0-87628-135-8 $29.99

Suggested Contacts
Police or local crime investigation unit
Lawyer/Judge
State Bureau of Investigation
University DNA Lab/or State Crime lab

Equipment
Microscope
Tweezers
Tape measure (for crime scene triangulation)
Latent fingerprint kit, optional (but strongly recommended) available from Carolina biological #AA-69-9810, about $60 (sometimes investigators will donate enough materials for the class).
Optional: Camera (film or digital)
Optional: Video camera (for scene analysis, witness/suspect interviews)

Supplies
Baggies for evidence collection (plastic is used for dry objects)
Paper bags for blood sample collection (use only fake blood with students)
Weapon of choice
Note cards (for lip prints and finger prints)
Ink pad (for finger prints)
Lip stick (for lip prints)
Gloves (for handling evidence)
Sheet or drop cloth (conveniently lying under body)
Beef blood on glass slides (teacher puts on slide for catalase test, tells class it is from
particular numbered blood spots they recovered)
Prepared blood slides (sickle cell and normal assigned to particular suspects or victim)
Our victim had sickle cell. This made it easy to tell victim blood form perpetrator.
Optional: Artificial blood (allows blood typing)
KITS:
We have not used the kits but they may be of help to some teachers:
"Crime scene forensic investigation kit" available from Carolina Biological #AA-69-9819 about $75

Essential Websites:

The Georgia Mock Trial Competition Home Page has excellent instructions and aids. Video tapes and books are available from them, but a lot of information is available on-line from the pages below.

Mock trial instruction aids

CourtTV
Forensics curriculum for teachers
Web broadcasts of trials, latest news on big name trials \http://www.courttv.com/

Latent Prints-Includes a link to BBC webvideo on fingerprint problems

Forensic History

Forensic Entomology

FBI Evidence Handbook

Authors
Jane Penland, Stockbridge High School japenland@aol.com
Dr. Greg Hampikian, Boise State University: greghampikian@boisestate.edu

2000 Activity Design Team
Jackie Hand, Honors English teacher, Stockbridge High School
Russell Calhoun, Honors Geometry teacher, Stockbridge High School
Anna Arnold, 9th Grade Success Coordinator, Stockbridge High School
Tracy Gober, 9th Grade Success Para-Professional, Stockbridge High School
Ingrid Forbes, Assistant Principal, Stockbridge High School
George Eckerly, Assistant Principal, Stockbridge High School

1999 Activity Design Team
Allison Taylor, Honors English teacher, Stockbridge High School
Russell Calhoun, Honors Geometry teacher, Stockbridge High School
Ingrid Forbes, Assistant Principal, Stockbridge High School
Victim 1999: Terrance Drakes, Assistant Principal, Stockbridge High School
Perpetrator 1999: Pam Pierce, Paraprofessional, Ninth Grade Success Lab

Broken Links appear below this line
ARTICLES: Wall Street Journal
Atlanta Journal and Constitution 4.28.04
Atlanta Journal and Constitution (6.03)
Atlanta Journal and Constitution (4.17.03)
Atlanta Journal and Constitution (5.01)
Health Focus (4.02)
Clayton News Daily (2.02)
Clayton Neighbor (7.17.02)
Clayton News Daily (7.17.02)

Past outreach for teachers
2004, June 21-25 Atlanta, GA
Summer Course for teachers

Blood splatter

Helpful Documents
Arrest report forms
Miranda rights
Evidence Submission
High school summons
Incident report
Incident report page 2
Property and Evidence
Jury duty form
Form covering responsibilities of court officers and participants
Instructions to jury
List of common objections raised in court

Evidence samples:
DNA*CCSU
Shoe prints
Crime scene (Triangulation)
Fingerprints
Fibers
Lip prints
Blood slides (sickle and normal)*CCSU
Blood typing examples (coagulation)*CCSU
Video of crime scene*CCSU

Link to survey of past participants