I have scheduled two online meetings in case you have any questions about your assignments or need any extra help.  Here is how this works…

1. Go to www.dimdim.com
2. Click “Join Meeting” – you don’t need to register or install any special software – it should just work.
3. In the “Meeting Room” box, type in “docfleetwood” (without the quotes)
4. Put your name in the “Your Name” box
5. Click “Join” and that should do it.  If you have a microphone, you can speak to me.  Otherwise there is a chat box.

The meetings are scheduled for 12:00 Friday (2/12/10) and for 11:00 Saturday (2/13/10).  They are scheduled for an hour each but you can just pop in and out as you wish.  So stop in and ask any questions you might have and then go about your day

From a technological perspective, I’m interested to see how this works – so feel free to stop by and say hi even if you don’t have a question

There are various ways to calculate the post mortem interval (time since death).  You should research at least five ways and describe how each method works.  I will collect this when we return to school.

Firearms Identification

Go to www.firearmsid.com. On the left side under ‘classroom’ click on student login. Use the log-in key I told you in class and type in your full name. Click accept. In the classroom area you (each individual) must complete the following tasks:

1. Complete the Cartridge Case ID-VCM (Test 1).  You must score a 75% or better. **
2. Complete the Firearm Identification quiz (50 questions) located here.  You must score an 80% or better.**  Use your real name on the page.  When you score an 80% or better, print the results page as proof and bring it to class to show me.
3. Complete the Bullet ID-VCM (Test 1).  You must score a 75% or better.**
4. Answer the questions below.

** – if you do not obtain the above scores you will receive a zero.  You may take the quiz/VCM more than once until you obtain the necessary score. This is an all or nothing assignment.

To answer the following questions you should read the information on the site. If you click on the Bullet ID-VCM link and the Cartridge Case ID-VCM link the resultant pages lists several links to find the necessary information.

1. What does GRC stand for?
2. Give an example of a typical GRC.
3. Do firearms change much over time? Will the 300th bullet have the same marks as the 3rd bullet?
4. What two characteristics do they obtain from a bullet fired from a firearm?
5. What marks do they obtain from a cartridge or cartridge casing?
6. What is meant by a bullets caliber?
7. What is a cartridge?
8. Do all bullets fit in all cartridges?
9. Give 2 examples of named cartridges.
10. What is the difference between your two examples? (advantage/disadvantage of one over the other)
11. What is a rifling impression? What causes it?
12. Why does a barrel have rifling?
13. What are the raised areas between grooves called?
14. If you have a rifling pattern of 6 grooves, how many lands do you have?
15. Why would a firearm examiner use a water tank and how big is a typical tank?
16. What is a comparison microscope?
17. Where on the bullet are the best marks typically seen?
18. What is typically the biggest problem with making an identification of an evidence bullet?
19. What causes Impression Action Marks?
20. Describe what causes each of the 3 impression marks. Which is the most common?
21. Checkout the bullet through gelatin picture from my forensics page. What causes the funnel shape behind the bullet?

Due:  Thursday, 2/4/10

There will be a test on Thursday, January 14. 2010. The test will be on all material covered in class with specific attention to the material from the “product tampering” case study, mass spectrometry, fingerprinting, and counterfeit money.

Individually, you should complete the correct answers to the Money Facts sheet.

As a group, you should create a ‘new’ $5 bill using the paper I gave you in class. You can see what it looks like at this site: http://www.moneyfactory.gov/newmoney/

You should label the bill with letters or numbers and create a key. These labels should point out the security and ‘additional’ features of the bill that are used to prevent counterfeiting.

On the paper with the key, you must also explain how the ‘money pen’ that store clerks use to check for counterfeit money works. What it looks like if the paper is real or counterfeit and why it looks that way.

Due:  Wednesday, 1/13/10 at the beginning of class

Use the fingerprint pattern data we collected in class to determine statistical trends in a population.  You should analyze the data making various statistical comparisons.  You must show work/sample calculations.  You must have graphical representations of your results.  You should point out interesting insights.  Your report should be in APA format, neat, organized and well presented.

Use any of the crimes or any of the crime investigation people we discussed in class to create an entry for our Forensics Literary Magazine.  These entries may be short stories, essays, poems, cartoon strips, etc…  They should be creative but informative.

Read the following information online and create a study outline – be ready for a quiz!

The State of Surveillance

Read and outline the main article on this site plus the following

links on that page: The Slide Show, No Where To Hide, A Dog’s Nose

Still Knows Best, and In The Datasphere – No Word Goes Unheard

After reading, create 5 multiple choice test questions, with distractors and answers.

In your notebook, write down the Miranda rights and describe how these rights arose.