Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 300935

Coordinator Alicia Haines Opens in new window

Description Evidence and Crime Scene Management is a subject designed to provide students with an understanding and knowledge of critical principles associated with the management of evidence and sites considered as crime scenes. The subject is particularly designed for students wishing to enter professional domains involving; policing, nursing, animal welfare, workplace investigators, health inspectors, WHS officers, fire investigation, council and park rangers, social welfare, environmental protection, fraud and insurance investigation and others where the collection of evidence is a component of professional practice within the discipline. The subject covers topics such as; recognition of various evidence, the recording and documentation of evidence, crime scene or site photography, managing scenes, maintaining evidence integrity, sexual assault evidence, the reporting and presentation of evidence in court and others.

School Science

Discipline Forensic Science

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 2 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 2 subject

Equivalent Subjects NATS 2014 - Evidence and Crime Scene Management

Incompatible Subjects NATS 2010 - Crime Scene Investigation

Restrictions

Successful completion of 60 credit points. Students enrolled in 3589 Bachelor of Science (Forensic Science) or in MT3022 Forensic Science are not eligible to take this subject as an elective.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Identify various types of evidence and explain the relevance of each evidence type to forensic investigations.
2. Differentiate identification and elimination evidence.
3. Explain the methods for preservation, documentation and collection of evidence that are utilised by crime scene investigators.
4. Describe how evidence is handled to ensure that evidence integrity and continuity are maintained from the scene to presentation in court.
5. Understand the impact of individual photographic principles on image quality and effectively document a crime scene by implementing this knowledge.
6. Carry out specific techniques in order to enhance latent evidence.
7. Demonstrate a range of communication skills necessary for preparing and presenting evidence in a court environment.
8. Describe the value of ethical conduct in relation to providing evidence to a legal landscape (criminal and civil).

Subject Content

1. What is forensic evidence?
2. Understanding identification and elimination evidence.
3. Defining and establishing a crime scene or accident site.
4. Management of evidence integrity and continuity.
5. Maintaining the integrity of crime scenes and minimising contamination.
6. Methods of preserving, documenting and collecting physical evidence.
7. Photographing crime scenes and other sites.
8. Photographic interpretation and evidence (including the detection of forgeries).
9. Physical evidence found at crime scenes (footwear impressions, tyre impressions, fingerprinting, tool marks etc.).
10. Sexual assault evidence.