FACH3701 Chemical Criminalistics

This topic deals with advanced aspects of examination and analysis of chemical traces and materials, presentation of evidence in a moot court, and provenancing of humans, cultural/archaeological artefacts and foods/materials. Subjects covered will include examination of common organic and inorganic traces (soil, textile fibres (including animal hairs), paint, gunshot residues, explosives and explosives residues, glass and mineral particles, ignitable liquid residues, and nuclear materials), modern data treatment techniques, provenancing techniques, and the use of logically-correct frameworks for evaluation and presentation of evidence.

This topic aims to introduce students to the composition and analysis of various materials that are commonly encountered in forensic, cultural heritage and analytical chemistry fields, modern approaches for treatment of chemical data sets, the evaluation of chemical evidence in a logically correct framework, and the presentation of evidence in court.

Specifically, this topic aims to develop students who are able to:

• Understand the appropriate equipment and methods to be used for the analysis of a wide variety of chemical trace materials
• Prepare written and oral reports
• Analyse and characterise chemical trace materials
• Testify in a moot court
• Act ethically as professionals

1. Understand the composition of materials that are commonly encountered as chemical traces in analytical and forensic laboratories
2. Determine the appropriate sampling, handling and analytical processes for analysing chemical traces
3. Demonstrate understanding of the role and limitations of chemical trace analysis
4. Explain and apply the methods used for the analysis of glass, paint, hair/fibres, paper/ink, flammable liquids, explosives residues, minerals/soil, foods, cultural/archaeological artefacts and human specimens
5. Understand and apply data treatments to chemical data sets
6. Understand and apply logically-correct evidence evaluation frameworks to the analysis of chemical trace evidence
7. Prepare written and oral reports and testimony in a moot court
8. Apply their knowledge in order to solve a range of forensic and analytical problems