Course Sample for Our Introduction to Forensic Science Homeschool Science Curriculum

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Week 1: What Is Forensic Science?

The job of forensics is to focus on the transfer of materials—evidence left behind at the scene of a crime—and figure out how to connect that evidence to the people involved. It is not the job of one person but rather a team effort serving many different roles. It starts with the first responders and the police, who report to the scene of a crime when it is reported. Crime scene investigators are specially trained to know how to document the scene and collect pieces of evidence that can be analyzed. Detectives investigate the scene and work with others to determine what happened. Often, forensic specialists are called upon to analyze evidence or interpret information. There are many areas that forensics can specialize in. Let’s take a quick look at just a few.

• Crime scene investigators are specially trained how to document a crime scene and collect evidence in the proper manner. They are often the first step in analyzing a crime scene.
• Arson investigators are called upon when there is a fire. They have studied how fire behaves and work to analyze the scene, evidence, and witness testimony to determine how a fire started or what happened as it burned.
• Computer forensics examiners are investigators who are very important. They study digital evidence, ranging from videos to photos to computers, in order to help solve a crime.
• Forensics nurse examiners are nurses specially trained to collect evidence from the victims of crimes where people have been injured.
• Medical examiners (also known as MEs) examine the bodies of those who have died in an unknown or unnatural way. They collect evidence during their postmortem exams and often help determine the cause of death.
• Forensic psychologists specialize in studying the behaviors of criminals. They often look at the mental and emotional aspects of both criminals and victims.
• Forensic accountants specialize in studying financial documents and finding evidence of criminal activity, such as embezzlement or fraud.
• Forensic anthropologists are scientists who use evidence, such as bones or preserved tissues, to help figure out what happened to people who have been dead a very long time.