FORS 2217 - Introduction to Forensic Science II

Prerequisite: FORS 2216. This course will provide an overview of specialized areas of forensic science, e.g. computer forensics and wildlife forensics, with guest speakers invited from a variety of disciplines. Students will be introduced to ethical and professional issues which are specific to forensic science practitioners and discussions on complex and unusual crime scenes will bring an awareness to the difficulties encountered in criminal investigations. Appropriate guidelines will be discussed for the role of the forensic scientist in criminal investigations and ultimately in the courtroom as an expert witness. The course will also address standards of reliability and relevance of scientific evidence in court and ultimately will provide the student with a greater understanding of the many facets comprised within the forensic science discipline. 3 credits.