CRIM 130 - Criminal Investigation

3 Credit: (3 lecture, 0 lab, 0 clinical) 3 Contact Hours:

This course covers the basic principles of modern criminal investigation techniques including crime scene search, collection and preservation of evidence, follow-up investigation, police criminalistics, and court preparation and testimony.
OFFERED: spring semesters

Course Goals/ Objectives/ Competencies:
Goal 1: Describe processes used by law enforcement related to basic crime scene investigation.

Describe methods in protecting a crime scene.
Describe different types and methods of collecting evidence.
Determine victims, witnesses and suspects within investigations, and the processes thereof.
Summarize documentation of a crime scene.
Summarize the criminal justice process regarding legal paperwork and filings.

Goal 2: Describe processes used by law enforcement after an initial crime scene investigation.

Describe investigative activities and available external resources for different violations of law.
Evaluate the admissibility of evidence for specific crimes.
Understand different tests a crime lab can perform on an item of evidence.

Goal 3: Describe appropriate investigative techniques for specialized investigations.

Outline the investigator’s responsibilities in a death investigation.
Outline the investigator’s responsibilities of various property and violent crimes.
Summarize the investigator’s responsibilities explaining evidence seized as it relates to the elements of a crime and case law.

Goal 4: Perform crime scene evidence collection techniques.

Demonstrate the use of fingerprinting kits.
Demonstrate the use of plaster to cast footprints.

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