Week 1 Trusting forensic science

Introduction

Do you trust how forensic science evidence is used in criminal investigations? Do you want to learn about how and in what circumstances police, crime scene investigators and the court would use DNA and mobile phones in a case? This four-week course takes you through a fictional crime, from crime scene to courtroom. You’ll see how the evidence is collected, analysed and presented in court. Along the way, you’ll learn about trusting the science and the scientists, with a focus on how marginalised community members experience forensic science evidence. You’ll learn about eyewitness, victim and defendant rights when forensic science is part of the criminal investigation.

Join us on this four-week journey as we follow Dave’s case from the crime scene to the court and learn more about how forensic science is used, trusted and questioned along the way.

Listen to the crime that was committed against our victim, Dave Miller. This fictional case will be used to illustrate how forensic science evidence might be used in the criminal justice system. Click on the image to play the audio, or read the transcript.

Crime: The scenario

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Transcript: Audio 1: The scenario

Narrator:

Dave Miller works twilight shifts regularly and often finishes work between midnight to 1am. He goes to this 24-hour gym after his shifts. On Tuesday Dave had finished his work out around 1:30am and was at his locker when he was attacked and robbed. His attacker had a face covering and hat with dark, baggy clothing. He hit Dave from behind with a heavy object, several times. Dave was found unconscious and bleeding by a member of the cleaning team. He said he felt like he’d been hit by a bat-like object and didn’t see the person’s features.

Dave is 5’10 and the attacker appeared to be shorter than him. Dave’s laptop, tablet, and phone were stolen. His car keys were in his pocket and weren’t taken. He wasn’t sure if the attacker was wearing gloves. The weapon wasn’t found.

It’s a very busy gym, and the CCTV outside the gym entrance isn’t good quality. There is no CCTV in the locker rooms. Male gym members have reported thefts. Every member has to swipe through the barriers to gain entrance.

There has been a spate of thefts at the gym. Stolen items include: mobile phones, headphones, tennis rackets, tablets, watches and a bracelet. The gym security has analysed the data of people swiping into the gym and have narrowed the list down to five suspects – one being the gym manager, another the cleaner who called the ambulance for Dave and three other gym members.

Forensic science evidence found during the investigation can help identity the perpetrator.

End transcript: Audio 1: The scenario

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Audio 1: The scenario

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