In this assignment, you will be exploring tasks that an actual crime scene investigator might accomplish.

There has been a murder in which it is clear that a person riding a mountain bike on the side of a dirt country road was intentionally struck down by a suspect. The suspect then stepped out of his or her vehicle and shot the biker.

A witness riding an ATV heard the shot and came on the scene just in time to see the suspect kick the victim hard a couple of times, presumably to determine if he or she was dead.

You have executed a warrant for the shoes of the driver/shooter and obtained the shoes worn by the suspect for examination.

Select a pair of shoes from your personal wardrobe, or borrow a pair from someone else. It is important that you select shoes that are at least 6 months old and are worn often (new shoes will not have much evidence on them. Using a household magnifying glass and a strong white light sourceeither a desk lamp or flashlightclosely examine the pair of shoes you selected.
Identify 3 or 4 items from the soles of the shoes, and explain in a 35-page paper how you conducted your examination, the type of items you found, their possible significance to the crime scene, and how you would recover and package the evidence you found.
Note: The following are just suggestions and are not mandatory for your paper grade. You may find this an instructive exercise.

You may have access to an ultraviolet light source like the ones used for identifying water marks on money and checks, commonly found at cashiers stations. Wear a pair of yellow glasses used as sporting glasses for skiing and shooting. This is just an extra suggestion and is not mandatory for the assignment.

You may also photograph items you have found and attach the photos to the paper if you care to. If you decide to photograph the items, do it on a piece of white bond paperthe photos will turn out better.

Assignment Details

Trace evidence consists of small items of material largely made up of human and animal hair, cloth fibers (natural and synthetic), items such as geological soil, small glass particles, pollen, wood splinters, gunshot residue, and small smears or flecks of paint. These items are found throughout many crime scenes and are often overlooked or lost.

Explain to your CSI partner in training the methods of finding trace evidence, cautions on not losing or destroying it, and collection methods.
Relate to your partner the components of human hair that are considered class characteristics.
Further, explain how the Locard Principle plays a major part in the transfer of trace evidence and the importance of identifying and collecting it for the investigation.

In the discussion for this unit, you explored the documentary Child of Rage, with an emphasis on finding best practices and the importance of forensic protocols in structuring interviews. In this activity, your task is to find 5 examples of real-life cases reflecting interviews using poor forensic practice. In finding these examples, place an emphasis on cases involving children, adults, and the elderly. Supply a summary of the case, proper documentation of the location of the case, the specific errors in protocol, and what happened in the case. This review will be 3 pages.

The specific steps are as follows:

Conduct independent research finding 5 examples of real-life cases reflecting interviews using poor forensic practice.
Of the 5 examples, at least 1 must include a case involving a child, 1 involving an adult, and 1 involving an elderly individual.
Write a report including the following sections:
Introduction to the report
Overview of the importance of proper interviewing protocol
2 paragraphs documenting each example of a real-life case
1 paragraph conclusion
Include no fewer than 6 scholarly resources.
Ensure the report is at least 4 pages long.

Assignment Details

In learning new skills, a helpful strategy is finding examples of poor and best practices. In this lesson, you reviewed the latest research on conducting forensic interviews of children and examined the latest National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Investigative Interview Protocol. Before participating this discussion, watch the documentary Child of Rage and then engage in a conversation on the development of NICHD Investigative Interview Protocol.

Having watched the documentary, identify three different specific points in the documentary where you might have done something different? Please indicate the specific time point within the video, so others are able to view the segment and discuss your assessment. In replying to other students, how might that strategy have changed the trajectory of the forensic interview?

In your responses to classmates, explain why you agree or disagree with their assessment.

References

Lamb, M. E., Orbach, Y., Hershkowitz, I., Esplin, E. W., & Horowitz, D. (2007). Structured forensic interview protocols improve the quality and informativeness of investigative interviews with children: A review of research using the NICHD Investigative Interview Protocol. Child Abuse and Neglect, 31(11-12), 1201-1231. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2180422/?ref=driverlayer.com

MarkLegg87. (2011, October 18). Child of rage the full documentary [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2-Re_Fl_L4