Trails of Evidence: How Forensic Science Works

Course Overview

Uncover the secrets of forensic science in this absolutely fascinating program that teaches you how science is used to solve criminal mysteries.

Course No. 1190

What happens behind the scenes when forensic scientists crack a case? Taught by a veteran forensic scientist, these 36 riveting lectures take you from the crime scene to the lab to the courtroom to reveal the personality and passions of an investigative mind.

Drawing on her extensive experience, Professor Murray shows how forensic science works from the inside with discussions of cases such as:

• American Eagle Flight 4184
• The cold case of a missing teen
• The Lindbergh kidnapping
• The first use of DNA fingerprinting in the 1980s
• The serial killings of Ted Bundy

Key Topics Covered:

• Crime scene investigation protocols
• Fingerprints, shoeprints, fibers, and handwriting analysis
• Time of death estimation
• Psychology behind law enforcement
• Eyewitness testimony reliability
• Courtroom presentation of evidence

Video Lectures

01: Using Science—Crime Scene to Courtroom (32 min)

Professor Murray opens with a homicide case illustrating forensic investigation’s multifaceted nature and introduces the scientific method’s role in the field.

02: Crime Scenes and Forensic Evidence (29 min)

Explore Locard’s exchange principle and learn how forensic scientists approach crime scenes, with a hands-on experiment to test observational skills.

03: Fingerprint Science—Hands-Down ID (31 min)

Dive into fingerprint analysis, classification systems, recovery techniques, and computerized matching advancements.

04: Telltale Marks—Tools, Guns, and Ammunition (31 min)

Study toolmark analysis, including firearm ballistics and how tools leave unique impressions on surfaces.

05: Good Impressions—Shoes, Tires, and Skin (29 min)

Examine forensic photography and the significance of shoe, tire, and textile marks in reconstructing events.

06: Forensics of Fibers, Paint, and Glass (31 min)

Learn how trace evidence like fibers, paint, and glass fragments can link suspects to crime scenes.

07: Traces of Hair and Fur (31 min)

Discover how hair analysis and DNA testing are used to rule out suspects or identify victims.

08: Soil, Protist, Plant, and Animal Traces (31 min)

Explore wildlife forensics, including soil, pollen, and animal traces that connect people to crime scenes.

09: Serology—Blood and Other Body Fluids (30 min)

Uncover tests for hidden body fluids that reveal crimes even when scenes are cleaned.

10: The Forensic Analysis of DNA (31 min)

Trace DNA profiling’s evolution and its landmark use in the UK’s first DNA-based conviction.

11: Forensic Toxicology of Drugs and Poisons (31 min)

Learn how toxicologists detect drugs and poisons, and their effects on the human body.

12: The Forensics of Substance Abuse (32 min)

Analyze the classification, effects, and forensic chemistry of commonly abused substances.

13: Handwriting and Forgery Analysis (30 min)

Study questioned documents, handwriting duplication, and famous forgery cases.

14: Computer Forensics and Digital Evidence (31 min)

Explore digital evidence extraction from devices, including GPS tracking’s role in solving murders.

15: Structure Failure—Forensic Engineering (32 min)

Investigate structural failures like the 1919 Great Molasses Flood and 9/11’s Twin Towers collapse.

16: Forensic Analysis of Vehicle Accidents (31 min)

Apply Newton’s laws to analyze skid marks, collision damage, and high-profile crashes.

17: Fire Science and Explosion Forensics (30 min)

Probe arson and explosion clues, including fire physics and perpetrator motives.

18: Blood Evidence—Stains and Spatters (29 min)

Decode bloodstain patterns to determine injury nature, weapon type, and culpability.

19: The Science of Death (31 min)

Examine death as a cascade of biological failures and its forensic implications.

20: Death Investigation—Algor, Livor, and Rigor (30 min)

Learn how algor, livor, and rigor mortis help estimate time and circumstances of death.

21: Autopsy—Cause and Manner of Death (30 min)

Step into the morgue to understand forensic autopsies and victim identification.

22: Decomposition—From Bugs to Bones (31 min)

Discover how forensic entomology uses insect life cycles to estimate time since death.

23: Forensic Anthropology—Skeleton Stories (30 min)

Read bones for clues about age, sex, ancestry, and trauma, including skeletal variations.

24: Forensics of Teeth and Bite Marks (31 min)

Explore dental patterns and bite mark analysis, pivotal in Ted Bundy’s conviction.

25: Police Sketches and Facial Reproductions (32 min)

Study forensic art techniques for creating recognizable likenesses from witness accounts.

26: Interview, Interrogation, Intelligence (31 min)

Compare interviewing, interrogating, and intelligence-gathering in police work.

27: Forensic Profiling—Who, How, and Why? (31 min)

Delve into controversial personality profiling’s successes and pitfalls.

28: Human Memory and Eyewitness Accounts (31 min)

Test the reliability of eyewitness testimony through classroom experiments.

29: Criminal Minds—Psychology and Psychiatry (31 min)

Analyze forensic psychology’s role in cases like Jeffrey Dahmer’s and insanity pleas.

30: When Forensic Evidence Is on Trial (31 min)

Review the history and courtroom standards for scientific evidence.

31: Forensic Scientists and Expert Testimony (33 min)

Hear Professor Murray’s experiences testifying and explore forensic career paths.

32: Comparing Crimes and Crime Labs (31 min)

Categorize homicides, assaults, and property crimes, and tour a high-tech crime lab.

33: Crimes—Nobody’s Supposed to Get Hurt (30 min)

Calculate blood alcohol levels and study forensics in identity theft and arson cases.

34: Crimes—Killers of One, Killers of Many (31 min)

Analyze solved cases like Sarah Payne’s murder and the BTK serial killings.

35: Applications—Mass-Disaster Forensics (32 min)

Learn forensic techniques in mass disasters, exemplified by Flight 4184’s crash.

36: Applications—Identification Matters (34 min)

Close with emotional cold-case resolutions through victim identification.