Revised August, 2015
CJLE 1345, Crime Scene Investigation (3-2-4) Topics include objectives, preparations, procedures, and methods of crime scene search;; value of crime scene sketches and their relationship to crime scene photographs;; fingerprints as physical evidence, fingerprint identification and classification, types of impressions and techniques for locating and developing impressions. Lab fee: $45. Prerequisite: eligible for READ 0308 and ENGL 0308. F, Sp (4301070000).
INSTRUCTOR: SGT. W.R. “Rudy” Flores, TxDPS - Ranger Service OFFICE NUMBER: Porter Business Administration Building #109 OFFICE TELEPHONE: 903.983.8670
EMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected] OFFICE HOURS: By appointment only
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: Gardner, R. (2012). Practical Crime Scene Processing and Investigation (2nd ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
ISBN: 1-4398-5302-9
GRADING POLICY: Examinations are administered covering course material during the semester. A comprehensive final exam will be administered at the end of the semester in accordance with the college final examination schedule. Kilgore College prohibits giving final exams before their scheduled date and time. Students making travel plans should keep this fact in mind when making reservations.
All students are required to take the final examination as a prerequisite to successful completion of the course.
GRADING: An accurate point system will be utilized to determine the final grade the student will earn for the course. The final grade will be determined by averaging major test grades — including the final exam — along with any other required assignments.
Grades will be awarded according to the following scale:
A: 100 - 90 B: 89 - 80 C: 79 - 70 D: 69 - 60 F: 59 - 00
Grades are weighted as follows:
Weekly Quizzes 25% Major Exams: 25% Practical Exercises 25% Final Exam: 50% TOTAL: 100%
CLASSROOM POLICIES:
1. Attendance Policy: You can’t learn if you’re not in class - it’s that simple. Punctual and regular attendance is required of all students in Criminal Justice classes. An accurate record of student attendance will be kept by the instructor. This record will include the number of times you log into the eLearning system, the length of time you spend while logged in, and your attendance at the required weekend sessions.
Students with excessive absences will be dropped from class. The pertinent section of the Kilgore College Student Handbook states:
Kilgore College expects punctuality and regular class attendance. An absence is defined as a student’s not being in class for any reason. An instructor may drop students when their lack of attendance prohibits them from meeting the course Student Learning Outcomes or when students accumulate excessive absences. “Excessive absences” is defined as the equivalent of two weeks instruction in a 16-week semester or no more than 12.5% of the total hours of instruction in any term.1
2. Assignment Policy: All required work must be turned in on time. Assigned work is due on the date assigned. NO LATE WORK IS ACCEPTED.
3. Method of Instruction: This is course relies heavily on the textbook. Students must read the material and be prepared to discuss topics addressed in the textbook. The classroom lectures will cover only part of the material that will be on the exams. You’re responsible for reading the material to ensure that you’re up-to-speed on everything in the chapters we cover.
4. Make-up Exams: THERE ARE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS.
5. Student withdrawal from class: If a student decides to voluntarily withdraw from the class, he must personally contact the Kilgore College Registrar’s Office to officially drop the course. Failure to do so will result in a grade of “F” for the course.
6. Academic Integrity: The Kilgore College Criminal Justice Department seeks to foster a spirit of complete honesty and a high standard of integrity. Any student who presents as his own any work that he has not performed has committed a very serious offense and renders the offender subject to serious sanctions. Those sanctions include, but are not limited to, the following: automatic failure of the assignment, test, and/or course. For further information, refer to the Kilgore College Student Handbook section on Academic Integrity.
7. Statement of Non-Discrimination: The Kilgore College Criminal Justice Department seeks to provide equal educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, handicap, marital status, or veteran status.
8. Americans With Disabilities Act Statement: Kilgore College is committed to making reasonable accommodations to assist individuals with disabilities in reaching their academic potential. If you choose to request accommodations for a documented disability which may impact your performance, attendance, or grades in this course, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services. Please note that classroom accommodations cannot be provided prior to your instructor’s receipt of an accommodation letter from the Office of Disability Services. For more information about accommodations, please contact the Disability Services office on the second floor of the Devall Student Center (903.983.8206).
9. Basic use of computers: Computers are an integral part of the Criminal Justice system. Your participation in this online class requires a comfort level with computers above the basics. You will be required to participate in discussion forums, submit assignments, take exams and quizzes, etc., online. Students will research material via the Internet, as well as employ electronic mail to communicate with the instructor concerning class assignments.
10. Cell phone policy: Cellular telephones are not to be used during class sessions when we’re in Kilgore for practical exercises. Students observed using cell phones during class will be asked to leave for the remainder of that day’s class and marked absent for the day;; additionally, the student will have one point deducted from his or her final course grade. TURN OFF YOUR PHONE DURING CLASS!
11. Current events: Current Events are especially important to your understanding of this topic. Students should keep abreast of current events concerning issues taught in this course. Newspapers, television news, and reliable, valid Internet sources should be utilized in keeping current in the topics of this course.
12. Extra Credit: There is none, so don’t ask. This is a college-level course. If you will do the regular credit work, you won’t need to worry about extra credit.
INSTRUCTOR’S RIGHT TO AMEND SYLLABUS
The instructor may change this syllabus at any time during the semester if deemed appropriate. Such change will be made only with prior notice to students such that the students are aware of the changes.
WORKING SCHEDULE
The following schedule is designed to assist the student. The instructor reserves the right to make modifications to content and schedule as necessary, with the interest of all students being considered. As I pointed out earlier, this is a reading-intensive class. The lectures will cover main ideas and high points, but you’re responsible for reading the chapters as they’re assigned!
The following topics will begin on the dates indicated.
Dates Week Topic Reading / Assignments
Week of 08-24 1 Introduction to Criminal Investigation
Read Chapter 1. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Choose and complete one of the Practical Exercises.
Week of 08-31 2 Understanding the Nature of
Physical Evidence
Read Chapter 2. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Complete Practical Exercise.
Week of 09-07 3 Actions of the Initial Responding Officer
Read Chapter 3. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Complete Practical Exercise.
Week of 09-14 4 Processing Methodology
Read Chapter 4. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Complete Practical Exercise. *****WEEKEND CLASS MEETING ON
SATURDAY, 09/19, AT POLICE ACADEMY, 220 N HENDERSON BLVD IN KILGORE: 10AM*****
Week of 09-21 5 Assessing the Scene
Read Chapter 5. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Complete Practical Exercise.
Week of 09-28 6 Crime Scene Photography
Read Chapter 6. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Choose and complete one of the essay questions.
Week of 10-05 7 Crime Scene Sketching and Mapping
Read Chapter 7. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Complete Practical Exercise.
*****MID-TERM EXAM*****
Week of 10-12 8 Narrative Descriptions: Crime Scene Notes and Reports
Read Chapter 8. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Complete essay question.
Week of 10-19 9 Basic Skills for Crime Scene Processing
Read Chapter 9. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Complete Practical Exercise.
*****WEEKEND CLASS MEETING ON
SATURDAY, 10/24, AT POLICE ACADEMY, 220 N HENDERSON BLVD IN KILGORE: 10AM***** Week of 10-26 10 Shooting Scene Documentation
and Reconstruction
Read Chapter 10. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Answer the Additional Questions. Week of 11-02 11 Applying Bloodstain Pattern
Analysis in the Crime Scene
Read Chapter 11. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Complete Practical Exercise.
Dates Week Topic Reading / Assignments
Week of 11-09 12 The Body as a Crime Scene
Read Chapter 12. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Answer the Additional Questions. Week of 11-16 13 Special Scene Considerations Read Chapter 13. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions.
Complete Practical Exercise.
Week of 11-23 14 The Role of Crime Scene Analysis and Reconstruction
Read Chapter 14. Review Learning Objects. Answer Chapter Questions. Submit an Article Review on the Scientific Method.
Week of 11-30 15
*****WEEKEND CLASS MEETING ON SATURDAY, 12/05, AT POLICE ACADEMY, 220 N HENDERSON BLVD IN
KILGORE: 10AM*****
*****WEEKEND CLASS MEETING ON SATURDAY, 12/05, AT POLICE ACADEMY, 220
N HENDERSON BLVD IN KILGORE: 10AM*****
Week of 12-07 16 *** FINAL EXAM ***
