Introduction to Forensic Science and Criminalistics

Paper Code: 
CFRS 111
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After studying this paper, the students will know –

CO1: The significance of forensic science to human society.

CO2: The fundamental principles and functions of forensic science.

CO3: The importance of psychological assessment in gauging criminal behavior.

CO4: The critical assessment of advanced forensic techniques like polygraphy, narco analysis,      etc.

CO 5: The methods of securing, searching and documenting crime scenes.

CO 6: The art of collecting, packaging and preserving different types of physical and trace evidence at crime scenes.

 

12.00
Unit I: 
Unit 1: Introduction & Role of Forensic Science in Society
  • Definitions and concepts in forensic science
  • Basic principles of forensic science.
  • Need and Scope of forensic science
  • Branches of forensic science.
  • Forensic Science Laboratories, Teaching Institutes and Other Government and Private Bodies related to Forensic Science in India.
  • Forensic science in international perspectives, including set up of INTERPOL and FBI.

 

12.00
Unit II: 
Unit 2: Crime and the Victim
  • Crime: Causes, impact of crime on victim, Victimization.
  • Factors affecting victimization: Bystander Effect, Forensic Mental Health.
  • Psychological explanations of specific crime types: Arson, terrorism, homicides, sexual offences, burglary, robbery, theft, white collar crimes.
12.00
Unit III: 
Unit 3: Assessment and Evaluation in Forensic Psychology
  • Psychological Tests used in forensic psychology
  • Forensic methods in detection of crime: Brain Electrical Oscillation Signature Profiling (BEOS). Lie Detections: Polygraph, Brain Mapping, Narco-analysis.

 

12.00
Unit IV: 
Unit 4: Crime Scene Evidence & its Management
  • Types of crime scenes – indoor and outdoor, primary and secondary. Securing and isolating the crime scene. Crime scene search methods. Legal considerations at crime scenes.
  • Documentation of crime scenes – photography, videography, sketching and recording notes.
  • Classification of crime scene evidence – physical, biological and trace evidence. Locard's principle. Collection, labeling, sealing of evidence. Hazardous evidence. Preservation of evidence.
 
12.00
Unit V: 
Unit 5: Investigation
  • Duties of first responding officers at crime scenes.
  • Coordination between police personnel and forensic scientists at crime scenes.
  • The evaluation of 5Ws (who?, what?, when?, where?, why?) and 1H (how?). Chain of custody.
  • Reconstruction of crime scene.
 
Essential Readings: 

  • B.B. Nanda and R.K. Tiwari, Forensic Science in India: A Vision for the Twenty First Century, Select Publishers, New Delhi (2001).

  • B. S. Nabar, Forensic Science in Crime Investigation, 3rd Edition, Asia Law House               (2019)

  • B. R. Sharma, Forensic Science in Criminal Investigation and Trials, 4th Edition,

  • Universal Law Publishing - An imprint of LexisNexis (2014)

  • R. Saferstein, Criminalistics, 8th Edition, Prentice Hall, New Jersey (2004).

  • James E. Girard, Criminalistics, 4th Edition, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. (2017)

  • M. Byrd, Crime Scene Evidence: A Guide to the Recovery and Collection of Physical Evidence, CRC Press, Boca Raton (2001).

  • T.J. Gardener and T.M. Anderson, Criminal Evidence, 4th Ed., Wadsworth, Belmont (2001).

  • S.H. James and J.J. Nordby, Forensic Science: An Introduction to Scientific and Investigative Techniques, 2nd Edition, CRC Press, Boca Raton (2005).

  • W.J. Tilstone, M.L. Hastrup and C. Hald, Fisher’s, Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation, CRC Press, Boca Raton (2013).

 

Academic Year: 
2022-2023
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