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Forensics in the Classroom in OSU onCampus
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Team 1
Nick, Keanna, Elizabeth, Hayden and Kamara
Monday, August 6
Our team thinks the coolest thing was the cadaver dogs. The most
challenging thing was mapping the room. It was hard to find the
measurements and fit it all on the paper. The funniest thing was
watching the cadaver dogs find scent to the evidence. We learned the
importance of watching every single detail when finding evidence. We
also learned the different types of classifications and blood
splatters. We learned about the training it takes to get a cadaver dog
and the proper and improper techniques of handling a dead victim and the
evidence. Today was a great day and we all had fun.
Tuesday,
August 7
Today we learned all about photographs and the proper technique to take
them. We learned where to take the pictures in a crime scene and how we
need to make a narrative with these photos. We also learned about shoe
prints and how to mold them. The most exciting thing we did today was
make the shoe prints. The most challenging activity we completed was
digging up the cast of the shoe and finding a print to cast.
Wednesday, August 8
Today we learned about blood. We learned how to find DNA in blood and
how to separate RBC from the WBC. How you can be identified from
different things in and on your body, such as your hair, skin, blood,
and even your tears. The coolest thing was making the gel and
transferring the DNA sample to different tubes using the pipettes. The
funniest thing was looking at the DNA when we found it. It looked like
snot and a booger. The most challenging thing was practicing our
pipetting skills. So the day was great and we wished to stay late.
Thursday,
August 9
Today we learned about ballistics. Ballistics is the study of
projectiles in flight, i.e. bullets. After reviewing the different
types of firearms we explored how guns and bullets leave evidence at a
crime scene. All bullets have rifling marks from the barrel of the gun
and all guns leave residue depending on the proximity of the shot. The
most exciting thing we did today was learning about and making finger
prints. We touched a surface, and then put special powder on the
print. We transferred it to tape, and put the tape on paper. It was
challenging and a lot of fun to make the finger prints. The most
challenging thing was to put the right amount of powder on the print.
Friday, August
10
Today the entomologist came in and taught us about flies and the
larvae. We also learned about the bugs that we eat. We also learned
how to process a car and to take notes on everything. We also learned
while processing the car that it may seem small, but it is a lot bigger
than we think. We also learned that you can tell when a person has died
by how big or small the bugs are that is in them. The most challenging
thing was figuring out the order in which to do things while processing
the car. Another challenging thing was not throwing up while looking at
the decomposing raccoon. The most exciting thing was fingerprinting the
car and tracing it and bagging up all of the evidence. The funniest
thing was the facial expressions of people when they found out that they
eat bugs almost every day. Also watching people squirm because they
were disgusted by the dead raccoon. Today was hot and fun.
Monday, August 13
On Monday we learned about bones. We
watched a PowerPoint presentation on Osteology, which is the study of
bones. We also now know how to properly assemble a full skeleton
because we practices on a full skeleton names Billy-Bob. Our morning
was very interesting, but then we had to walk to Waterman Farms to go to
our dig site. We did a fingertip search for evidence. Then we looked
at a depression which we thought a body could have been buried. We then
made several maps which were key to our excavation. We prepared to dig
for the next day.
Tuesday,
August 14
Today we went to the dig site at Waterman Farms. We set up
our tent shelters around where we would be digging. Our body was
believed to be in a 100 x 70 inches box; however the body itself was in
a smaller hole. We took pictures of the hole whenever we took off a
layer of dirt and uncovered something. We used a shovel at first, then
trowels, and finally brushes and dust pans to take off layers of dirt
without disturbing the body. Whenever we filled our bucket of dirt we
took it to the sifter in order to collect evidence from the dirt. We
also identified evidence from the body (i.e. shoes, earrings, purses)
but waited until we had finished excavating all the dirt to take them
out and bag it all. There was a lot of mapping and paperwork involved
with the evidence, but fortunately we didn’t wait until the last minute
to do it all.
The most fun thing we did was
digging the grave out and then filling it back in. Also taking the body
out of the grave. The challenges of the day were doing the paperwork
and putting evidence into the evidence bags and label them. Also, the
wind was blowing so we had to keep the papers under clips or something
heavy. The coolest thing was digging up the body and dusting the body
off.
Wednesday, August 15
Today we learned about anthropology. We learned how to look
at certain bones and see how old a person was. Also by looking at the
skull and telling what was that persons ancestry. To determine the sex
by looking at the pelvis bone and the chin shape. If you measure the
bones you can see how tall a person was. Not all bones found are human
bones. Not all bones are bones. Some sticks and sphere heads are
mistaken for bones.
The most challenging thing was
figuring out the ancestry and age and height of our person. Another
challenging thing was trying to remember the names of the bones when our
person came to us. The funniest thing was when we thought the skeleton
head was deformed when we took it out of the bag. The coolest thing was
being able to identify a persons age, sex, stature, and ancestry by
looking at the bone.
Thursday, August 16
Today we got the story for our case. We
found out that Bailey told us where the bodies were. Dr. Tate came in
who was a coroner, a retired coroner, and we learned the difference
between the manner of death and the cause of death. An autopsy is the
study of yourself. He told us what happens to the body after you die.
We watched a slide show of autopsy’s too. We learned what a coroner
does for his job and how people in Franklin county die: 25% natural, 23%
accident, 13% suicide, 10% homicide, and 2% undetermined.
We also processed our evidence
and practiced for our cases that we’re presenting in court tomorrow.
Using the evidence we linked the suspect to the murder. We finished
watching our nature movie on crime scenes. It talked about how nature
can convict someone of a crime, such as using flies and pollen from
someone’s car.
The coolest thing was making the
connection between the suspect, crime scene, and victim. The most
disgusting, but kind of cool thing was looking at the autopsy pictures
and what dead bodies look like when they are cut open and the exploding
pigs. The funniest thing was when we were making up our aliases for the
trial. The day was great.
Friday, August 17
Today we learned a lot about courts. We
had a mock trial, and we were all expert witnesses. We shared our
testimonies while the Defense Attorney cross-examined us. It was the
most challenging thing of the day. We also watched the other groups on
trial as a jury. At the end of all their testimonies, we voted guilty
or not guilty. The prosecutor lost them all, except one jury was hung.
It was a lot of fun having a mock trial.
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