Favorite Forensic Science Topic by Steven Lee

Forensic DNA

sblee999 — 2021-07-12 11:58:25 UTC

I have found STRbase https://strbase.nist.gov/
to be one of the best sources for Forensic DNA information and resources. Check out the presentations and publications sites!

2021-07-12 15:47:53 UTC

Set up rotational stations with timing and stations leads

sblee999 — 2021-07-12 17:38:41 UTC

We use stations to accommodate 150 students in large team groups of 30 each. One exercise is to run the scotch tape fingerprint activity... more on that in the session

Multiple students with one role

annecupero — 2021-07-12 17:41:31 UTC

I do several crime scenes, where 3 students do each role; they bounce ideas off each other, and create a unified product. I have 3 (or more) photogs, 3 sketch artists, 3 interviewers, 3 collection technicians, 3 death investigators, and 3 that do scene control and entry/exit logs. Then they switch jobs for the next scene. At the end of the year, for culmination, they all do everything.

Basic materials

2021-07-12 17:42:43 UTC

I hit up Dollar Tree around Halloween - crime scene tape!

I do not have a large budget, so I laminate chain of custody forms/front of paper bags and have students fill out the information using dry erase markers. When we are done with that item, I clean it off and have it to use for another crime scene.

General Forensic Science introductions

sblee999 — 2021-07-12 17:43:04 UTC

http://www.forensicsciencesimplified.org/

This site it nice for finding random things on a budget. It's cumbersome to look through, but I've purchased a ton of stuff really cheap for my labs. https://catalog.naeir.org/

2021-07-12 18:10:35 UTC

Crime Scenes with multiple classes/groups within classes

2021-07-12 18:12:28 UTC

I setup 1 scene in the middle of the classroom or in a spare room I've reserved for the day in the school. Ss are in small groups. Each group can send 2 Ss into "inner corden" to photograph and triangulate. This limits the # of people milling around the core of the scene. They pick the evidence they'd collect but don't collect it.
To give them hands-on with collecting, I set up a mini-scene using carpet squares and toy furniture. I seed each carpet with 4 different types of trace evidence they have to collect by end of period. Ss or I "re-seed" scenes at end of period for the next class.

Brandon Mayfield sources from chat

rachelle_terada — 2021-07-12 18:35:15 UTC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Mayfield

9 minute overview with interview of B: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTa-PWdjX-Q

https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/special/s0601/PDF_list.htm

Frontline Real CSI documentary also covers it.

General Fingerprint sources

rachelle_terada — 2021-07-12 18:58:00 UTC

fingerprint ink strips for home kits: https://www.shopevident.com/category/fingerprinting-supplies/black-fingerprint-ink-strips

inkless: https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Inkless-FingerPrint-Pad-S03027/dp/B001HA4PJ4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2LN6YY5AVQNXF&dchild=1&keywords=inkless+fingerprint+pad&qid=1626115779&sprefix=inkless+fingerprin%2Caps%2C298&sr=8-5

Black Magic ink is recommended!

FBI "Latent Hit of the Year" award video

DNA from FP: https://www.nature.com/articles/42838

Adermatoglyphia: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55301200

FP and ancestry: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fingerprint-ridges-can-reveal-peoples-ancestry-180956800/

Forensic Anthropology sources.

allison_bouwman — 2021-07-12 19:04:00 UTC

I have my student identify a missing in action veteran from WWII. He was a real person and the information presented about his background is from research into his repatriation. He was buried in a mass grave with 4 other Japanese soldiers. I present the info at the beginning of the unit. As the general disarticulated skeletons you buy are white, male, they match his information. So by the end of the topic they have to tell me whether the skeleton they have could be this soldier.

Footprint sources

rachelle_terada — 2021-07-12 20:45:13 UTC

Britain's CSI School - Footprints - The One Show

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

TLC Lab Food Dyes

anance13 — 2021-07-13 13:44:40 UTC

TLC of Lipstick

tdick014 — 2021-07-13 13:46:15 UTC

TLC of Pen Ink

tdick014 — 2021-07-13 13:46:55 UTC

TLC of Candy Dyes - Pill Identification

2021-07-13 13:51:41 UTC

Flinn Set of 8 black pens

allison_bouwman — 2021-07-13 14:32:28 UTC

I have a set of 8 black pens I buy from Flinn, they have a great mix.

Counterfeit Info

rachelle_terada — 2021-07-13 14:56:19 UTC

https://www.uscurrency.gov/denominations
https://www.uscurrency.gov/educational-materials/download-materials
https://www.dfa.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/detect-counterfeit.pdf
https://sqnbankingsystems.com/blog/check-fraud-detection-and-prevention/

Examine a bill under UV and/or IR light with a x20+ microscope

Drugs/pH

rachelle_terada — 2021-07-13 15:08:07 UTC

Videos:
The Poisoner's Handbook
Hooked: Illegal Drugs and How they got that way

guest speakers: DEA agent, undercover drug officer, K9 officer with demo,

marijuana in teens case study
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J069v19n01_01

Color Change Lab: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M0IfUy1dIUwBYI4DgxJezsY1xHNrWi8Vr4OnptijsO8/copy

Illustrated Guide to Home Forensic Science Experiments book has a OTC drug lab

put red cabbage in distilled water and blend instead of boiling

Flint Lead Pipes https://www.pbs.org/video/poisoned-water-jhhegn/

DNA sources from chat

rachelle_terada — 2021-07-13 19:48:39 UTC

Differentiating between monozygotic twins through next-generation mitochondrial genome sequencing

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26327617/

Identification of the perpetrator among identical twins using next-generation sequencing technology: A case report

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31605960/

Selection and implementation of expanded CODIS core loci in the United States https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31605960/

Selection and implementation of expanded CODIS core loci in the United States. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Selection-and-implementation-of-expanded-CODIS-core-Hares/51f104dab04c672271aa03f02131d47de6d9278e

Rapid DNA helps solve crimes today and prevent victims tomorrow https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/industrial/forensics/human-identification/forensic-dna-analysis/dna-analysis/rapidhit-id-system-human-identification.html?cid=gsd_hid_sbu_r01_co_cp1238_pjt3677_gsd00000_0se_bng_rs_awa_rapdnathfsit&ef_id=e35560db6cc11d8d70d8003683057842:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3652!10!76965904389878!76965954088621

DNA Keychain
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1L_cJfw-JaQSPsrtAMfSJbgCGA1pOEU8ovSSUVIyN2EU/edit#slide=id.p5

DNA Phenotyping HirisPlex https://hirisplex.erasmusmc.nl/

consortium on DNA phenotyping https://www.visage-h2020.eu/

Ancentral genomics https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3000586

Test on iPhone to padlet

2026-01-21 01:27:27 UTC

You should be able to add content by pressing + on your phone :)