Inside the Crime Lab 🕵️

Choosing a specialized field of study can be challenging, even for a club meeting. Which is why instead of choosing one topic for our last meeting, we decided to do them all! I know that sounds a little chaotic but stay with me. We had a lot of fun exploring different areas of forensics!  

Now our meetings are only an hour long, so we did have to narrow it down a little bit. For this meeting we decided to focus on Crime Scene Investigation, Evidence Packaging, Fingerprinting, Handwriting Analysis, and Blood Spatter. Members were split into groups and given about 10-15 minutes per station. Each member of the executive board was assigned a station to help members learn and complete the station.  

Station one started with crime scene investigation. At the crime scene investigation station members were taught the steps to take when arriving at a crime scene. We secured the scene, sketched out the scene, took photos, and marked evidence. 

Moving onto the next station, we went into evidence packaging. Members were next taught how to properly secure evidence in the correct bags depending on the type of evidence being preserved. The proper taping and labeling methods were used for this station. 

In the next station, members went to a fingerprinting station. At this station members placed latent prints on a variety of non-porous objects and then went over the technique to dust and lift these prints. Once members lifted their prints, we also went over how to fill out their information cards. 

For the next station members were shown multiple writing samples and were then able to compare these writings to the evidence collected at the scene. Paying close attention to the dots on "i", the cross on a "t" and more, members would be able to identify a writing sample to the evidence.  

Lastly members moved to the blood spatter station where they would drop, splatter, and examine fake blood samples. At this station members paid close attention to satellite spatter, shapes, concentration, and more to gain insight as to what the direction of origin may be.  

Members gained a lot of insight in a very hands-on and engaging way, and we hope it was as much fun for you all as it was for us!  

The fun doesn't stop there though! At our next meeting on March 25th at 6:00pm in BHG 215 there will be a Forensic Guest Panel Board! Be sure to bring a writing utensil and paper to this meeting. As usual, food and drinks will be provided so come with an appetite for pizza and knowledge.  

Be sure to check your eagle emails and GroupMe for more important information that was sent out this week!  

Thats all for this week's newsletter! Make sure to stay in the know by joining our socials!    

Follow our Instagram @fgcuforensics for more updates and cool photos!     

https://www.instagram.com/fgcuforensics?igsh=MXZyM3BzdGVtODdhdw==     

Sign up/ RSVP for our events on Eagle Link, "Forensic Club" to stay in the know for future events!     

“Forensics Club” on eagle link:     

https://fgcu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/fgcuforensicsclub     

We also have a GroupMe where we send updates. Click the link below to join.     

"Forensics Club" on GroupMe. Use this link to join: https://groupme.com/join_group/66040913/cVo3SdWa