Linking Science and Social Issues

What are the capacious civic questions or problems addressed in the course?

In the past decade, dozens of individuals have been exonerated of crimes for which they have been convicted and/or imprisoned. Popularized by the news and dramatic media, these shocking occurrences have come to light largely due to advances made in the multidisciplinary fields of forensic science. Forensics is now championed as the proof previously lacking in eyewitness testimony and identification.

Society is and always has been intrigued by crime and mystery. Including some of the most popular on television, no fewer than twenty televised programs deal with solving crime and catching those persons responsible. Perhaps it is our fascination with death or a hope that justice will prevail should our own innocence be lost at the hands of an unknown assailant that gives these shows their widespread popularity. Unfortunately, television writers do not believe technical accuracy should stand in the way of a good mystery.

Whatever the case, the Forensic Investigation course developed at Southern Oregon University capitalizes on this popularity and deals with the methods and technologies of solving crime in America and abroad. The course allows students to observe how society has been changed by forensics and how forensic science has been changed by society. Along with the content of a typical forensic science class (outlined below), this class examines forensic methods as they relate to a sense of justice in the United States. Attention is given to wrongful convictions, the ethics of crime scene processing and criminal prosecution, moral aspects of defending suspects where the probability of guilt is high, the role of the media in criminal prosecution, and the fact that societal bias can exist in a scientific technique or method. It is felt that this course, as outlined below, not only gives students a fundamental background in many scientific principles (wrapped in a very interesting package), but also allows students to grasp and appreciate both the power and limitations of scientific methods or techniques.

What basic science is covered?

This course is incredibly broad in scope covering aspects of biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, psychology, and criminology. It is open to students of all majors at Southern Oregon University as part of our general education curriculum. Although "taught" by a single faculty member in the Department of Chemistry, the ability to successfully teach this class has been made possible through collaboration with other departments and faculty. Included in this collaboration is an ability to call on guest speakers - both University faculty and community members alike.

Forensic Content	Basic Science Covered	Societal Issues Addressed
Trace Evidence and Latent Fingerprint Detection	-Quantitative vs. qualitative analysis -Sample Integrity -Spectroscopy -Scientific Method	-Ethics of crime scene processing; should all U.S. citizens and visiting foreign nationals be fingerprinted?
Arson and Explosives Investigation	-Basics of Chemistry (atoms, compounds, bonding, inorganic vs. organic substances, and polarity) -Chromatography	-Defending those who are guilty
Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology	-Organic functional groups and characteristics -Concentrations and partial pressures -Basics of Immunology	-Should specific drugs be legalized in America?
DNA Evidence and Serology	-Basics of Biology (cell structure, DNA including structure and replication) - Intro to genetics	-A history of wrongful convictions in the U.S. and the pros and cons of a national DNA database
Forensic Pathology and Autopsy Procedures	-Soft tissue anatomy -Physiology and mechanism of death	-The role of the media in criminal prosecution
Forensic Anthropology and Odontology	-Skeletal anatomy -Demographics of age, sex, and race by exact measurement	-Forensic science is not immune from societal bias
Ballistics and Vehicular Accidents	-Basics of Physics (energy, mass, work, force, momentum, gravity)
Forensic Psychology and Criminal Profiling	-Personality traits -Nature vs. nurture debate -"Victimology"	-The dangers of stereotyping and racial profiling in criminal cases