Caution: Crime Scene!

March 27, 2017

Come see a realistic mock crime scene investigation – from incriminating fingerprints and blood spatter, to meddling witnesses and evidence contamination – Thursday, 4/6, 5:55 –
8 p.m., Sinclair Hall Pit.

Led by Dr. David Byrne, Department of Criminal Justice, the mock crime scene is designed to engage the students by going beyond the one-way lecture and passive learning to a hands-on approach to enhance critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students will utilize authentic investigative equipment to collect evidence, document findings, and interview witnesses.

Says Dr. Byrne: “Criminal Justice students will act as bystanders intent on contaminating the crime scene, while the Visual Communications Department will photograph evidence and movements of the student investigators. Applied Psychology students with an interest in law enforcement and forensic psychology will act as eyewitnesses and members of a jury which will decide the outcome of the case.

“This represents a part of the world students will be dealing with, especially as police officers. Understanding that crimes are not solved in a half hour like on TV gives the students a broader knowledge of what to expect in real-life instances.”

Interested students and faculty are invited to join “the cast.”