Frederick C. Sauls a n d M. A. Wartell Metropolitan State College Denver, Colorado 80204
I introduction to Crirninalistics I
A course in basic science
Criminalistics, the application of science to law enforcement problems, is a burgeoning new field related to chemistry. The chemistry department a t Metropolitan State College has recently instituted a fonr-year program leading to a bachelor of science degree in criminalistics. During development of this program, we found a need for a course which would give those in the law enforcement field who had no desire to become criminalists an insight into the function of a crime laboratory and the application of scientific analysis to law enforcement problems. These students include regular police officers, crime scene investigators, law enforcement majors, criminal lawyers, and professionals like coroners' assistants. T o satisfy this need we developed a one-quarter, three credit-hour course which we describe here. An outline of the topics covered follows 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ~
Collection and preservation of evidence Courtroom presentation of scientific evidence Fingerprints Firearms examination Toolmark examination Soil analysis Glass analysis Medicolegal examinations Snrnloev Physiologicsl evidence and its analysis Drug and poison analysis Paint analysis Fiber analysis Bomb and arson investigation ~~
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