Course description
The French forensics pioneer Edmond Locard postulated that 'every contact leaves a trace' with the microscopic fragments of evidence that collect on an object acting as a 'mute witness' to the other objects with which it has come into contact.
The distribution of this trace evidence can be used to infer the way that objects have come into contact.
The aim of the course is to provide a general understanding of physical trace evidence and its associated forensic examination.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
A graduate who is new to the field of forensic analysis and/or requires appropriate degree or experience.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
What you will learn
To understand how the concept of trace evidence is used in a forensic investigation and how scientific techniques can be used to locate, collect, classify and compare evidence types.
The objectives of the course are:
- To fully understand the concept of “trace” evidence and how the term can be applied to a wide range of physical evidence types
- To understand how this range of physical evidence can be located and investigated using forensic techniques
- To transfer the theoretical knowledge of trace evidence into a practical forensic examination investigation.
Training Course Content
Core content
- Trace evidence concepts, direct and indirect transfer, retention time, transfer diagrams
- Fibre and hair construction
- Fibre and hair microscopy for identification and comparison
- Glass construction and forensic examination
- Paint characterization
- Soil analysis
- Shoe & Tyre Print Examination
- Tool marks and fingerprints
- Case studies in trace evidence.
Course delivery details
Course structure
The course is run once each year. Each course lasts for 5 days.
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Cranfield University
Cranfield is a specialist postgraduate university that is a global leader for education and transformational research in technology and management. We have many world-class, large-scale facilities, including our own global research airport, which offers a unique environment for transformational education...