Teri jandusa Nicolai
Criminal Science
Chapter 1: Observation Skills
Awareness
(Modern Marvels- Forensic
Science)
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Power of Observations
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Selective attention
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Perception
Feelings/intuition
Attentional Blink Test
Change Test
Selective attention test
Selective attention test (she drops
a gum drop on lap at 23 sec,
heart is drawn on cat- I don’t see
it)
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Count the white T’s and number of
times they cross the line.
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Test your Memory
Forensic Science is:
Any science which can be
applied to problems or
processes of the law
 Includes scientific, legal and
criminal justice aspects
 CSI effect
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Criminalistics is:
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Specialty of forensic science, the
scientific study of crime
Analysis, comparison, identification
and interpretation of physical
evidence
Used to prove existence of a crime
or to make connections
A criminalist:
Provides information to
investigators, attorneys,
judges or juries
 Studies scientific evidence
pertaining to a crime
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Criminology is:
The study of crime as a social
phenomena of criminals
(behavior of criminals)
 The study of the nature and
cause of criminal behavior , as
well as societies response to it
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A criminologist:
Studies the various forms of
criminal behavior, the causes of
crime, definition of crime,
reactions to criminal activity
 Topics of study include criminal
justice and juvenile delinquency
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Scientific method is:
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The process of problem
solving
Steps to the Scientific Method:
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Ask a question
Make observations (what a persons
perceives using his/her senses)
Hypothesis
Experiment
Conclusion( form of report with
supported evidence)
Observations by Eyewitness
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Eyewitness  person who has seen
someone or something and can
communicate these facts
Perception  interpreting information
received from the senses (limited, not
always accurate)
Activity 1 photo 1
Activity 1 photo 2
Activity 1 photo 3
Factors affecting observations
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Faulty perception
Unfocused/not concentrating on the
crime
Influence of their emotions/anxiety or
stress
Type of activity/how much activity
Are they alone/group?
Observations in Forensics
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Trained investigators analyze what they
see
Use analytical/ deductive reasoning
skills
Includes making detailed measurements
and collection of evidence.
You’re the Detective
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Examine the picture on the overhead
for 30 seconds and be prepared for
follow up questions
You’re the Detective
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What time what it on the clock?
What was the date?
Describe the person in the front of the
line
Was anyone wearing anything unusual?
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Spot the Difference
Lab- Observations
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This morning Mr. Foster noticed a yellow
liquid in his coffee cup. He turned over the
cup with the liquid to our class to test for
poisons. He has been receiving threats from
Mr. Blake, who wants his job back (too many
Bears fans in Illinois), and thinks that this is
an attempted poisoning. You need to test
known poisons and compare to determine
what this yellow liquid is.
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Nat geo real life csi- autopsy gunshot
Bill Bass- Body Farm
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Body Farm (skin slippage) 5 min
Motherboard/ Body Farm (11 min total)
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Dead bodies left to rot (History channel)
9 minute)
Body Farm Motherboard (11 minutesnot in parts)