This case was developed for use in the first semester of a sophomore organic chemistry laboratory to illustrate how a combination of techniques is usually required in the identification of chemical compounds. It involves a murder mystery with a forensic twist. Students are told that two bodies have recently been recovered from two different lakes. Due to a mix-up at the morgue, the coroner's office is unable to determine which body came from which lake. The students' task is to develop a methodology to solve this mystery as well as determine whether the deaths were the result of murder or mishap. The case could also be used in instrumental analysis courses or adapted for a non-majors course in the general education curriculum.

In this lab-based case, arson investigator "Marie Stanforth" comes under suspicion when her ex-husband dies in a fire. Students assume the role of forensic chemists working for the FBI to analyze charred samples recovered from the crime scene as well as clothing from the principal suspect, comparing what they find in the samples to accelerant standards whose spectra are already known. Once they have determined whether or not the fire was arson, they must then decide if the allegations against Marie are credible. This case study was designed for an instrumental methods course, but could be adapted for a non-science majors' course.

Imagine entering a crime scene and being the one responsible for noticing and collecting every trace of evidence. The pressure is on: you know the analysis of your evidence must be scientifically sound to crack the case.

You've seen the hit television crime drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on CBS. Now, there's a forensic science exhibit related to the TV show, as well as a Web-based learning adventure.

CSI: The Experience is a completely immersive exhibit that invites visitors to enter "crime" scenes where they identify and record evidence. It takes them inside "laboratories" for scientific testing and to "autopsy" rooms for pathology analysis. Then it returns them to the "office" to build their case, based on the scientific evidence. The exhibit brings to life real scientific principles and the most advanced scientific techniques used today by crime scene investigators and forensic scientists.

From DNA and firearms analysis to forensic anthropology and toxicology, visitors will be immersed in hands-on science in an exciting multi-media environment with dazzling special effects direct from the CSI TV series. Cast members from the TV show welcome guests into the exhibit from a large video monitor, lead them through the experience, and praise them for a job well done at the end. The exhibit is geared toward adults and youth age 12 and above.

This case explores the fundamental principles of memory, eyewitness accuracy, and police questioning techniques in witness identification in a criminal case. By studying the details of an actual series of attacks and the subsequent police investigation, students learn that memory is a reconstructive process rather than an accurate recording of events. The case has been used in an undergraduate introductory psychology course and in a course on psychology and the law. It could also be used in a cognitive psychology course.

This case is based on a lurid crime featured on the BBC program Crimewatch in December 2001 that was solved thanks to forensic DNA analysis. Students learn how the structure of DNA and the mechanism used by cells to duplicate DNA were critical to the forensic analysis. They then determine the statistical validity of the forensic data in the same way a prosecutor would prepare the case for a courtroom. Written for an introductory biology course of 300+ students, the teaching notes for the case describe how students work in permanent small groups in a lecture hall setting to collaboratively solve the case in class.

This "clicker case" is a modified version of another case in our collection by the same name. It uses a PowerPoint presentation (~3MB) to present the case, which is punctuated by multiple-choice questions that students answer in class using hand-held personal response systems ("clickers"). The story revolves around a murder committed in Wales that was solved through DNA analysis. Students learn about DNA structure and replication, and how scientists have adapted this process for use in experimentation and forensic analysis, including PCR analysis and DNA fingerprinting. The students then use this knowledge to identify possible suspects in the crime. The case is designed for use in an introductory biology course either for science majors or non-majors. It could be modified for use in upper level classes as well.

In this case study, a newly appointed medical examiner uncovers an unusual trend in drowning cases, which she suspects may be the work of a serial murderer. To prove that she is right, she must rely on instrumentation designed and tested by a team of students from the local university. Students read the case, then design and build a device for the detection of blood stains. The case was developed for use in an undergraduate laboratory course sequence in photonics for junior and senior level students. It would be suitable for any undergraduate course in physics, chemistry, or electrical engi eering that covers topics in optics, photonics, or spectroscopy.

In Lesson 1, students learn about what DNA is and several different DNA typing techniques. In Lesson 2, students examine three different situations where DNA typing was used to carry out justice. Students also identify and evaluate different uses of DNA typing techniques and its possible benefits and misuses.

In this case study, a forensic anthropologist must determine the age and sex as well as look for signs of trauma to a skeleton found in a shallow grave in a state park. Students simulate the actual procedures used in a forensics lab and learn to identify bones, landmarks, and anatomical features associated with sex, age, height, and pathology. The case was developed for use in a freshman-level human anatomy and physiology course. It could also be used in biology, anatomy, and anthropology courses.

Samples of soil were recovered from an Indiana murder victim's car and shoes. This experiment isolates DNA from plants grown from seeds that were found on the shoes. Two different ecotypes of a weed grow in different areas of Indiana. This difference can be detected using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). DNA is extracted from the seedlings using the REDExtract-N-Amp Plant PCR Kit. Specific regions of the isolated DNA are then amplified by PCR. The PCR products are analyzed by gel electrophoresis and the results used to determine which suspect was in the same area as the victim. With data from previous exercises the students can determine who committed the murder. An alternate CTAB DNA isolation procedure is also included.

This case, based on an actual case of product tampering that occurred in Seattle in 1986, was designed for use in an introductory course in forensic science for non-science majors. By working through the case, students gain an understanding of the variety of strands of evidence that have to be woven together in order to develop a case against someone who has committed a crime, specifically a murder. It also touches on the importance of communication between different law enforcement agencies in solving crimes. In addition, students consider how probability can play a role in crime investigations and learn what latent fingerprints are and how an investigator collects them and uses them in an investigation.

In this video segment from QUEST, learn about a specific area of forensics and how it is applied to areas of immigration.

Students explore the issues involved in investigating and reporting on a scatter of skeletal remains to the police in this case study. In addition, the case teaches students about skeletal identification and the quantification of skeletal elements. The case has been used in an introductory archaeology course as well as an upper-division archaeological lab methods class, a senior zooarchaeology and archaeobotany class, and an introductory level forensic anthropology course.