The Forensic Teacher Magazine Issue 36

Page left intentionally blank. This magazine is best viewed with the pages in pairs, side by side (View menu, page display, two- up), zooming in to see details. Odd numbered pages should be on the right. a

Online Forensic The Activities Forensic science Kit EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE & SOLVE THE CASE

+ Includes real forensic tests + Dust evidence for prints to match against suspect prints Forensic + Study the police case file Teacher Magazine to solve the murder of + Test fabric samples for the Missy Hammond* presence of blood.

KIT 2 SIZES smALL cLAssroom Up to 4 peopLe Up to 40 stUDents $55$ 325 BOTH SIZES COME WITH FREE, CLASSROOM-TESTED LESSON PLANS

RECOMMENDED FOR 9th grADe & Up Summer 2020 * internet access is required to view the case file shop.crimescene.com // [email protected] $5.95 US/$6.95 Can a

Online Forensic

Activities Forensic science Kit

EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE & SOLVE THE CASE

+ Includes real forensic tests + Dust evidence for prints to match against suspect prints + Study the police case file to solve the murder of + Test fabric samples for the Missy Hammond* presence of blood.

KIT 2 SIZES smALL cLAssroom Up to 4 peopLe Up to 40 stUDents $55$ 325 BOTH SIZES COME WITH FREE, CLASSROOM-TESTED LESSON PLANS

RECOMMENDED FOR 9th grADe & Up * internet access is required to view the case file shop.crimescene.com // [email protected] Spring 2015 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 $5.95 US/$6.95 Can The Volume 14, Number 36, Summer 2020 The Forensic Teacher Magazine is published and owned by Wide Open Minds Educational Services, LLC. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 5263, Wilmington, DE 19808. Please see inside for more information. ForensicTeacher Magazine Articles 28 The Explosives Lab By David Collins, Ph.D. Grounded firmly in forensic chemistry, this engaging exer- 6 Interview cise will let your students explore and practice the chemi- By Mark Feil, Ed.D. cal analysis of three common low explosives. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms has its hands full investigating these topics plus arson 40 Fingerprint Bingo and explosives. Julia Dolan is head of their forensics By Mark Feil, Ed.D. laboratory and she opened up to us about how the This addicting game can be played in person or via a bureau performs its magical daily basis, as well as what remote learning platform like Zoom. After completing a makes her tick. 10-print card, students will use their fingerprint types to 16 Truth or Dare populate a bingo card and compete for prizes. By Mark Feil, Ed.D. Everyone these days, especially high school students, 46 Explosions: Science & think they know a lot about forensics because of what Scenarios they’ve seen on TV. This fun icebreaker will separate By Perry Michael Koussiafes the bullets from the blanks, and let you know how savvy A fascinating classroom exercise that blends the history, they really are. chemistry, and application of different types of explosions. Best of all, instructions are included so you can fabricate 18 Looking for a bang at work? the evidence left after five types of explosions for students Turn your students on to these jobs with the ATF. to examine and discuss. There’s something here for everyone. 52 How To Host a Virtual Murder 24 Evidence Lab Mystery By Jeanette Hencken By Amanda Burrili This activity is a wonderful way to remind your students Just because you have to teach via remote learning doesn’t about the proper way to package and preserve evidence. mean your students can’t enjoy playing a part in a murder mystery. There’s a lot of prep work involved, but the payoff will be worth it! And it’s easily adaptable if you have a 27 The First Day traditional classroom. By Brian Bollone This exercise is an easy, but effective way to introduce your class to the lasting power of fingerprints. Set up at 58 The Cornflour Bomb the beginning of the school year, but don’t disturb it until By the Nuffield Foundation & Brian Bollone the end, and your students will be amazed. Have you ever wanted to blow your students’ minds by blowing something up? Look no further because this article gives you everything you need to create a memorable Features 2 Editorial teaching moment. 3 Forensic News 62 Suddenly On-Line By Enrico Pelazzo 4 Mini-mystery How do you start the school year with students you’ve 5 Hot Links never met? We’ve got tips and resources to help plus 22 Photo Mystery advice on avoiding Zoom burnout. 66 Answer page 64 Online Forensic Activities 68 Morgue Guy By Jeanette Hencken 68 What’s Going On? There’s lots of stuff out there for doing forensics online if you know where to look. We managed to round up nearly two 69 Just For Fun dozen cool places to get you started. 70 Stoopid Crooks 11 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Editorial The ForensicTeacher Magazine Editor-in-Chief Hang in There Mark R. Feil, Ed.D. Assistant Editor Tammy Feil, Ed.D. When the coronavirus hit our shores no one imagined the effect it would have on our society, let alone our educational system. Flu season came and went every Book Editor year and it was no big deal, so why should this be any different? The number of Enrico Pelazzo online forensic experiences has been growing for years, and their sophistication and level of engagement has been climbing, but not to the point where any could Science Editor substitute for hands-on, in person labs. I mean, it’s not like our schools are going to T. Ann Kosloski close and instruction would move online, right? Fast forward to March, 2020 when everything changed. Suddenly, we were all Copy Editor online and scrambling to finish the school year in some sort of coherent fashion. Tammy Feil Some districts had resources in place so the transition was smooth, albeit awkward. Contributing Editor Other districts stumbled forward like a tourist wearing scuba fins.And most of the Jeanette Hencken others were somewhere in between. However, nearly all teachers were able to finish the school year in a reasonably orderly fashion because of the relationships already Layout/Graphic Design in place with their students. Everyone breathed a deep sigh relief when the school Mark Feil year finally, officially ended. But you already know this. Circulation What you don’t know is how you’re going to teach forensics in the fall. Certain Don Penglioni topics and labs will have to be simplified or skipped because students at home don’t have the resources they need to get the full experience. There are videos to Editorial Assistant show viewers how to roll a fingerprint, but I can’t imagine many households with Sandy Weiss microscopes, Superglue fuming hoods, or ninhydrin. Plus, you’re going to have to find new ways to build relationships with students you’ve never met. In many ways this is going to be the hardest part about starting the next school year. Without one to one interactions between students and teachers, Editorial Advisory Board and students and students the classroom dynamic is going to be very different from anything you can imagine. For example you won’t be able to assign the student a role in a small team that investigates the crime scene. Lt. John R. Evans Fortunately, we have each other. This magazine was founded on the principle Section Chief of the Delaware State that we all benefit by sharing ideas. This issue contains activities you can do Police Homicide Unit with your students remotely, as well as an article with tips about how to establish Head, DSP Crime Lab and Forensic meaningful online relationships. Come August/September teachers are going to Services Unit learn quickly what works and what doesn’t and they’re going to talk. We will be keeping our ear to the ground and passing along everything we think will make Jeanette Hencken your life easier. Forensic Science Teacher Webster Grove High School, Webster Hang in there! Groves, MO Cheri Stephens Forensic Science Teacher Washington High School, Washington, MO Adjuct faculty at St. Louis U. Dr. Mark Feil Hugh E. Berryman, PhD, D-ABFA Forensic Anthropologist Volume 14, Number 36, Summer 2020 Director, Forensic Institute for Research The Forensic Teacher Magazine (ISSN 2332-3973) is published two or three times a year and is owned by Wide Open Minds Educational Services, LLC. Our mailing address is P.O. and Education Box 5263, Wilmington, DE 19808. Letters to the editors are welcome and should be sent to Middle Tennessee State University [email protected]. Submissions are welcome and guidelines are available, as is a rate sheet for advertisers at our website www.theforensicteacher.com. If you sign up for a Ted Yeshion, Ph.D. subscription you will receive an email when it is ready for download provided your spam filter doesn’t screen it out, and you opened the email announcing the previous issue; sign up at Professor - Criminal Justice & our website. Back issues are available singularly on our website, or all on a CD. The Forensic Criminalistics, Gannon University Teacher is copyrighted 2019 Wide Open Minds Educational Services, LLC, all rights reserved. All opinions expressed by contributors represent their own views, and not necessarily the views of the staff or editorial board. 2 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Forensic News ●● Traditionally, the time of death of a corpse is estimated information the remains were male, 72% concluded using liver or rectal temperature, ambient temperature, and a the remains were male. The third group who received chart indexing body weight. Unfortunately, this can lead to a information the remains were female unanimously reported window of time that might be several hours wide. However, the remains were not male. Similar biases were seen when scientists in Amsterdam recently developed much more test group participants were fed information about ancestry accurate method that uses a thermal camera and a computer and age at death. The study demonstrates the need for an model takes into account how much clothing a body is evidence-based approach when dealing with cognitive wearing, if it was submerged or not, the type of surface of bias in this field. For more go tohttps://www.researchgate. the body was found on, and the amount of body fat present. net/publication/259470935_Cognitive_bias_in_forensic_ Using this new method the time of death can be narrowed anthropology_Visual_assessment_of_skeletal_remains_is_ down to 45 minutes. For more information go to https://www. susceptible_to_confirmation_bias#read. forensicmag.com/564843-Amsterdam-Scientists-Develop- New-Method-to-Determine-Time-of-Death-at-Crime-Scene/. ●● An international team of scientists led by an Australian lab has demonstrated a technique that makes it possible ●● If you’re a parent you probably know that borax mixed to determine which DNA sequences in a mammal’s with white glue is a recipe for slime that will keep kids chromosomes came from the animal’s mother or the animal’s entertained for hours. But it’s not just fun and games anymore. father. The process was developed in order to examine the A recent college graduate witnessed a demonstration of how genetics of hybrid cattle breeds, but the researchers involved slime can be used to visualize fingerprints, which lead to an say there’s no reason it can’t be used with humans. Genetic independent study, which led to the publication of a paper geneologists working with DNA labs will likely find a use for on the subject. It turns out pseudo-snot is more useful than this procedure. More information is available at https://www. anyone ever imagined. To learn more go to https://phys.org/ sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200507102432.htm. news/2020-06-unusual-forensic-technique.html. ●● Pangolins, AKA scaly anteaters, are facing extinction ●● The theft and looting of cultural artifacts from museums because over 2.5 million animals are poached every year in and archaeological sites has been going on for hundreds of China and South East Asia because their meat is considered years, but has escalated in the past couple decades as political a delicacy and their body parts are valued for traditional instability has rocked the Middle East, particularly Iraq. Now, medicine. For the last two years, however, researchers from an organization called the School Water Group has developed University of Portsmouth, UK have worked with wildlife a solution that can be sprayed onto museum objects without protection officers in Asia and Africa, training them in the causing any damage to the item. The solution can withstand use of gelatin lifters to retrieve fingerprints from the scales harsh solvents, intense heat, and extreme conditions for of recovered animals. More information go to https:// decades. The liquid contains a unique, invisible chemical www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200622133032. signature which allows investigators to track where the htm#:~:text=As%20China%20upgrades%20pangolins%20 artifact was stolen from, the date the solution was applied, to,to%20bring%20them%20to%20justice. and by whom. So far, nearly 275,000 objects in two Iraqi museums have been thus protected. For more information ●● Forensic pathologists play a vital role in the medico- go to https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ legal system, and they are among the first to spot new trends priceless-artifacts-in-iraq-protected-against-theft-using-new- on causes of death. Their work has been complicated by smartwater-forensic-fingerprinting-301054966.html. COVID-19, a fact that has escaped the notice of many in the forensic community. A fascinating Q&A on this topic ●● Researchers in the UK wanted to examine cognitive can be seen at https://theconversation.com/overloaded- biases among forensic anthropologists seeking to determine morgues-mass-graves-and-infectious-remains-how-forensic- sex, ancestry, and age at death of skeletal remains. Over pathologists-handle-the-coronavirus-dead-135275. 40 participants were divided into three groups and prior to examining the skeletal remains two of the groups were given extraneous contextual information about the sex, ancestry, and age at death of each individual. The third group was the control group and they receive no information. In the control group 31% of participants concluded the skeletal remains were male. In the test group that received contextual

3 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Mini-Mystery

The River War Robbery replied. “The book was kept behind a sliding panel on the bookshelves. Not obvious. Nothing else was taken. Whoever took it must have known where to find it. Other than Morgan CHIEF WILLIAM RYAN of the Baskerville Police himself, only three people knew this. Peter Costello, a rival was sitting on his front porch one unusually mild Sunday Churchill collector, viewed Morgan’s collection two years afternoon with Thomas P Stanwick, the amateur logician. ago. Stephen Grecco, a book dealer in Milverton, helped Stanwick’s black Labrador, Rufus, slept lightly beside his Morgan make an inventory of his collection several months master’s wicker chair. ago. Morgan’s former research assistant, Lynne Heffernan, “Still working on a schoolbook, Tom?” asked the laconic left his employment shortly after the inventory was finished.” Ryan. “Interesting.” Stanwick relit his pipe. “I think I know “That’s right, Bill,” Stanwick replied. “I’m editing Costello. About sixty, ruddy face, white hair, no glasses, bad a textbook on American history from 1900-1950. It’s a teeth?” fascinating period.” “That’s the one.” “Don’t I know it!” snorted Ryan. “I lived through most of “What’s his alibi?” it. Fought in World War Two. Are FDR and Churchill in the “Says he attended the same dinner as Morgan. He arrived book? You never know, these days.” late, just as the crowd was going in to dinner, and sat at a “Their names come up.” table near the exit. Morgan doesn’t remember seeing him, but Stanwick grinned. it was a crowded event, and they didn’t look for each other. “Say, you’re particularly Costello tried to buy The River War when he visited Morgan, interested in Churchill, aren’t you?” and got very angry when Morgan turned him down. They “I am indeed. Why?” haven’t spoken since.” “A book by Churchill was “How about the other two?” stolen from Fred Morgan’s study “Grecco says he was home that evening watching TV three nights ago,” said Ryan. “The with his wife. A cable news channel was doing a report on a River War, it was called. Morgan’s tomato festival in Wisconsin when he dozed off shortly before a military historian who collects eleven. Miss Heffernan says she was in the library stacks Churchill items. He says it was at Royston State, working on her doctoral thesis on Central valuable.” African military tactics. No witnesses, though. She was in one Stanwick’s eyes glistened. “Two volumes, dark blue, with of those private booths reserved for Ph.D. students.” a gilded riverboat illustration and author’s signature on the “Why did she leave Morgan’s employ?” asked Stanwick. covers?” “She would only say that they parted on bad terms. “Yes.” Ryan looked at Stanwick suspiciously. Morgan said she was unreliable.” Stanwick whistled. “A first edition!” he exclaimed. “Very “Hmm. Why did Morgan have an inventory done, rare and worth several thousand, according to Langworth’s anyway?” guidebook. Please tell me more.” “He said he needed to update his insurance. The “Morgan has a large study on the ground floor,” said insurance investigator has found no evidence of fraud, Ryan. “Quite a room: high shelves, ceiling beams, heraldic though.” Rufus lifted his head and yawned. Stanwick banners. The thief forced entry at ten P.M. through a window languidly stood up and zipped his jacket. by smashing the glass and pulling the bolt. A chair by the “Well, Bill;’ he said, “I’d better get Rufus home for his window was overturned, and the flowerbed outside was supper. We enjoyed the visit. If I may, I’d like to repay your trampled. Some muddy marks were left on the hardwood hospitality by pointing out the identity of the thief.” floor, but no distinguishable prints. No fingerprints either. He grabbed the book and left as he came. Morgan discovered the Who stole The River War? theft the next morning.” “No one heard the glass break?” “No. Morgan lives alone and was out at a Churchill (Answer on page 66) dinner in Royston.” “Ah, yes. The Churchill Society was celebrating the great man’s birthday. I was too busy to go myself. Any leads?” Stan Smith was the author of three books of Stanwick mini- Ryan took a sip of iced tea. “Only one, really,” he mysteries that have been published in nine languages and sold over 120,000 copies. 4 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com aw Hot Sites

Picked by us for you. And we’re picky. Only about 3% of sites we become aware of make the cut, so you know they’re worth a look.

https://alvideo.ameslab.gov/archive/ bpa-videos/?fbclid=IwAR3oRdRo06ZIh__ gV5XGlTAG1IBmgMctVo228z-wH1bEvGbpireAwt32aJc High speed digital video analysis of bloodstain pattern formation from common bloodletting mechanisms.

http://www.microlabgallery.com/hair.aspx?fbc lid=IwAR1sZs2smS9WybzVBGKNZWI3IrSjLco0- wECZUayvIL0fDmr0RWfMis0nJU A delightful photomicrograph gallery of hair. Do you have a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WpQFB8i9YA topic you’d like &list=PLh7mthBh1GtnZeQfr8I6BqvjHcl2nPd_M&ind us to cover? ex=26 A series of videos from the National Forensics Science Technology Center that points out common misconceptions about forensics. Do you have a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHTz66 lab you’d like Jq0Dg&list=PLibNZv5Zd0dzmgAyav3R8SfXc- to feature? 64Oly_k&index=6&t=26s A forensics expert examines 20 crime scene investigations from film & TV (warning: F-bombs) Email us, tell us about it!

admin@ theforensicteacher.com

5 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 When it’s Personal An interview with Julia Dolan, chief of the forensics laboratory for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms By Mark R. Feil, Ed.D. 6 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com here’s an old joke that says alcohol, tobacco, and firearms are all that’s needed for a redneck party. But there’s also a saying among law enforcement that if you want any of the above plus Texplosives investigated you call the folks at the ATF. These are the feds who will tell you if a bullet recovered from a victim or crime scene came from a gun used in another crime. They’re the ones who can examine what’s left after a bomb goes off and not only tell you what explosive was used, but where it likely came from. Nothing goes down the barrel of the gun that they don’t know about it. Shoot, their firearms reference collection has over 17,000 different guns, and they ALL work. Want more? Nobody knows more about arson and fire because they have the only research facility in the world devoted solely to the subject, and breakthroughs are made every month. But before you get the impression the ATF is all about seizure and destruction you should know they’re also leading the field in recovering DNA from chemically reactive metal surfaces like cartridge cases. Complementing the hard-working agents in the field are the special people in the ATF’s forensic labs. They come from all walks of life and to say they’re dedicated would be an understatement. One of the people who consistently brings out the best in them is Julia Dolan, Director of the ATF’s forensic lab in Washington DC. I talked to her recently and she took me behind the scenes. Forensic Teacher: Well, then let’s get started. This is to give give a different answer. But I would say no. It was a different our readers a chance to get to know you and hear what you time. I’m 53, so when I was a kid, we were all free range kids. think about the various topics of interest to them. So tell me, We did more outdoor things like exploring, running, climbing what were you like as a child? What kind of student were trees, going to the woods. You come back when your parents you? yelled from the doorstep. Just very different, I think we had Julia: I wasn’t the greatest student, which I’m a little a lot more freedom back then. Not too much trouble, but I’m embarrassed to say. But I think I was lucky that I was good at sure there’s a lot of stuff my mom did not know about, and math and science, so I think as a young person, things came I’m probably glad she didn’t. to me relatively easily. I think one of the bad things about that Forensic Teacher: I’m on the same page. I’m only a year was I didn’t really develop good study habits because I could older, and I know exactly the world you speak of. So you get through something easily. But the older I got, the better were always curious. That’s good. That probably helped I got with study habits. When I started taking hard classes set the stage for where you are now. Tell me, what did your with my bad study habits, I pretty quickly learned I needed to parents do? adjust. But I always loved math and science and I was always Julia: My parents were a pretty huge influence on me. My a very curious person, and I think that’s one of the critical mom was not educated at all. She grew up in a very, very poor things for any person going into forensic science is just a family. Her mom was widowed when my mom was four years natural curiosity. old. They had five kids. They lived in central Pennsylvania, Forensic Teacher: Sure. Now, when you were a kid, the Appalachians. So when my mom grew up, when she I’m talking like under 10, were you always into things or finished high school, it was, she said, you know, “We never exploring things, or getting into trouble? even thought about going to college. That was for other Julia: Well, if you could ask my mother, she would maybe people.” It was a very, very different environment that she 7 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Julia: My dad has told me this story a million times. He said, it was a party of a friend that he wasn’t going to go to, but somebody dragged him to. My mom wasn’t going to go to it, but somebody dragged her to it. So, he said, if that didn’t happen, or if that didn’t happen, if he tries to do the math. My dad is a numbers nut. But what were the odds of us meeting? Or if he hadn’t gotten the job with RCA, because he moved across the country to take a job out in the Philadelphia area. Forensic Teacher: No kidding. So, where did you grow up then? Around Philly? Julia: My first six formative years were outside of Philadelphia. Since then, I really grew up in the D.C. suburbs, and I now am in Baltimore. I am 100% Baltimore to the core. I never knew that this was my hometown, until I moved here. Forensic Teacher: Yes. Now, your parents. What did they think about it when you said, “I’m going into science,” and then into law enforcement? Julia: Well, so you know, here’s the story about me not being a real good student. I started out as an engineering major. I was studying aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland in College Park. I figured out pretty quickly that I wasn’t very good at engineering. I always figured, if you’re good at math and science, you go into engineering. My dad Julia Dolan, Director of the ATF’s forensics lab in was an engineer. I decided after two and a half years that my Washington, D.C. (ATF) brain was not getting these trusses and these things. It just grew up in from what I grew up in. Ironically, my dad grew didn’t work that way. So I decided to change to chemistry, so up on the other side of the country in California, working in it was really, really hard to tell my dad, “I’m not going to be mines, gold mines, and doing very, very hard work. But again, an engineer after all.” But he was super proud. Oh my gosh, I uneducated parents. They didn’t interact with educated people was probably 30 years old. My mom was still showing off to at all. My dad was a huge influence for me getting educated. her friends at work about what her little girl did. He said the Korean War saved his life, because he was afraid She was very proud that I found this career, and when I did of being drafted into the Army, so he joined the Navy. My go and get involved in some of the larger cases and things, I dad had gone to community college before that, but he got think they were super proud I was able to find something that pulled out of community college because his father needed I was passionate about, that I was good at, and it was really help working in the mines. They were very, very poor. My dad important work. was the first ever to even do anything like community college, Forensic Teacher: You just mentioned passion. What fuels but he ended up getting that career interrupted to go to the that? Navy. However, he used the GI Bill to go back to school after he got back from Korea and went onto Cal Poly and studied Julia: You know, I think it’s the almost serendipitous engineering. intersection of things that are important to me. One is justice. It’s not getting the bad guy, but seeing justice done. That if Forensic Teacher: No way, cool. something happened, you want to know what happened. You Julia: So, when I grew up it was the entirely opposite want things to be applied fairly. You don’t want the wrong thing than it was for my parents. Both my parents were person to be accused of something, but you do want people kind of “college is for other people”. They grew up in that to know what happened and people to be held responsible. environment, whereas I grew up not with, “Are you going to That’s certainly a part of it. go to college?” But “Where are you going to go to college?” But then also is this curiosity and the science. Thinking I can What are you going to study? I grew up very, very much with, use science to help answer important questions, and every it was absolutely an expectation. Even though my family day is different. You’re not going to be bored at work. One growing up was not wealthy, it was so much a priority that day you could be working a case, and one day you could be that was absolutely, you know, my parents invested and made testifying in court. One day you could be teaching prosecutors sure that I had a good education. I’m very, very grateful to and law enforcement officers the value of a certain type of have had that kind of support from my parents, even though evidence, and not to overlook it. Or the limitations of a certain both of them came from very, very different environments. type of evidence. So, it’s just so many different things that I Forensic Teacher: Now, just out of curiosity, how’d your think intersect, that really make it absolutely just a perfect fit folks meet? for me. 8 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Forensic Teacher: Great. Now let’s connect the dots just a division of forensic science, which is now the Department of little bit. You’re in chemistry, and now you’re in forensics. Forensic Science. How do you get from there to here? Forensic Teacher: Cool. Now, the ATF is a little bit like Julia: You know, things are a little different nowadays. When the CDC, because there’s an extra vowel on the end that I was in school, the forensic science programs in colleges nobody ever talks about. But you have four branches: alcohol, were few and far between. We had a lot more people in this tobacco, firearms, and explosives. Do you guys have four field that studied chemistry, and somehow or other got into it. different laboratories, or just one laboratory? I will tell you one of my favorite stories. Julia: So, the answer is yes. But it’s not for that reason. One I had no idea I wanted to be a forensic scientist. I changed of our other huge areas that’s not part of our name is also majors to chemistry because I liked chemistry, and I thought fire. We also do a lot of investigations related to using fire it was interesting. I thought I was good at it. I didn’t know as a crime, so we see cases of arson and things like that. We what I wanted to do. I said, “Chemistry’s pretty good because do have four laboratories, but that’s not why. We have three it’s broad.” I could go be a petroleum engineer, or a food laboratories that are geographically located that are forensic and drug specialist. Or I could, you know, there’s a million science laboratories, like traditional forensic labs, like what things you could do with chemistry. So, at my very first job, my lab is. We’ve got one in California, and they cover the I was working as a very low level technician in a lab. I was western portion of the United States. We have one in Atlanta a member of the American Chemical Society. I encourage that covers the southeastern portion of the United States. My everybody to become a member of professional associations. I lab is in Beltsville, Maryland, just outside of Washington, was probably 21 years old, at my first job. They sent out, back D.C., and actually we have two laboratories that are co- in the day when we used to get hard copy things in the mail, located. There’s my laboratory, which is your traditional a little newsletter. On the back, it would always advertise forensic science laboratory, and we also have a fire research different books and there was a book called Chemistry laboratory, and that lab is very different than any other in the and Crime: From Sherlock Holmes To Today’s Courtroom world. They look at the forensic analysis of fires, because they published by the American Chemical Society. I thought it try to figure out how a fire started because you come to look at looked kind of interesting, so I ordered it. You know, it’s a scene after it burned, how can you tell what happened? just a little paperback book, but it had all these stories about And a lot of that has mystery almost like an old wives’ tale. fictional forensic science, and then things that were happening in real life in forensic science. Bells went off in my head. This is what I wanted to do. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with chemistry, but this is what I wanted to do as a career. That was the thing that made me decide I wanted to do that. At that time I had a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. I went back to school. At community college, I took a couple night classes in criminal justice and in criminal evidence because I started thinking I wanted a career in that direction. I got kind of fortunate, because at that time, sometimes all the dominoes just line up perfectly. That was a time when we had the big war on drugs going on. Forensic Teacher: Oh, yes. Julia: Yeah, so there was a need for forensic people to do forensic drug analysis. That was my first job, doing forensic drug analysis in a state lab. I got very, very lucky with minimal experience. I had about a year as a chemist in a different area, but using some of the same instruments and things like that, I was able to get my foot in the door. Then from drug analysis, we hired a bunch of forensic drug chemists. Then the lab always follows the way that law enforcement goes. Law enforcement’s push kind of decreased, but we had all these drug chemists in the lab. They said, “We’re a little shorthanded in trace evidence. Does anybody want to do some cross training?” I said, “Pick me, pick me.” So I started cross training in trace evidence. That was how I got the skills that got me to ATF. Forensic Teacher: Now, what state were you working for? Julia: I worked in the Commonwealth of Virginia for their ATF agents at an arson scene (ATF) 9 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 ATF agents at the shooting range (ATF) If somebody says, “Hey, when you see this, it means that, Forensic Teacher: Wow. And the other labs? hey, when you see this, it means that,” but there really wasn’t Julia: San Francisco is small right now because of attrition a scientific underpinning or a good foundation. So they do a problems. They’re maybe 19 people, and Atlanta is about 25. lot of research to help show what’s real and what isn’t, and what’s significant and what isn’t. Then of course, when we Forensic Teacher: Okay. Let me ask you this. On one hand, actually have the case where a particular scenario played it sounds like a lot of people. But on the other hand, there’s a out for a fire, they can do test burns to say, “Well, they say lot of crimes going on. How busy are you guys? What’s your that it started here, but the witness says, or the suspect says usual backlog? this. Let’s do some test burns. We’re going to try Scenario Julia: We’re crazy busy. I think that’s true of every single A, try Scenario B. Let’s look at the fire and see which one forensic science lab on the planet. Nobody has enough people. makes sense?” So, the fire research lab really is the only lab We, as a federal lab, are a little bit different because we don’t in the world, as far as I know, that is dedicated to the forensic respond to every single crime. We do a lot of firearms work, investigation of fire. There are other fire labs, but a lot of but that doesn’t mean that we do every gun case, because those are more safety, like UL and things like that. some of those are going to state or county or city labs. Forensic Teacher: Awesome. I think I saw on your website, Forensic Teacher: Right. you have about two dozen people working under you. Is that Julia: The thing is, the more science moves forward, the right? harder our job gets. Or the more behind we get, because we Julia: Well, so the fire research lab maybe has about that have more things that we can do with the evidence, things many people. My lab is probably close to 45. take longer. I’ll give an example. We’re really some of the world leaders, in my opinion, on touch DNA, where we’re looking at very, very low levels of DNA on firearms and on fired cartridge cases, which have historically been a very, very challenging thing for people to recover usable DNA profiles from. That’s a great thing that we can do, and we’re coming up with wonderful percentages of how effective we can be in this. But here’s the problem with that. We tell people, “Guess what? We can get DNA off fired cartridge cases.” So you have a drive-by shooting, and there’s a lot of fired cartridge cases. Pretty soon, all of those are going to be coming to the lab, and nobody has enough people to do that kind of work. So, those are the challenges we face. DNA, because we can look at lower levels, because we’re looking at complex mixtures; it’s not like what you sometimes see on TV where I run the sample, and here’s the profile, and it looks like Bill Smith. In real life we end up with a profile that has a couple little bumps, and then we’ve got a bigger bump. Is that bigger bump a real thing, or is it an artifact? And the data analysis is very, very complex. One of my ATF agents after a raid (ATF) favorite sayings for forensic science is, the easy ones are easy, 10 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com but the hard ones are hard. I think that that’s really, really true. expertise. I’m a co-author of a book about fire debris analysis. Data analysis, the things we can do, the things it gives us, we That’s kind of my thing; I really like to be able to share that. can do so much more, but it’s kind of a double-edged sword. Those are really my favorite aspects. Forensic Teacher: Yes. Now, you’re a federal agency. So, Forensic Teacher: Cool. Now, what do you like least about obviously you handle federal crimes and incidents, but are your job as the lab head? you called upon very often to step in for states or jurisdictions Julia: We have more work than we can do. We’re that just can’t nail it down? shorthanded, and we know it, so we can’t always do Julia: One of the ATF’s biggest strengths is we are a very, everything we want to do. That’s just the nature of the beast. very good partner. We pride ourselves on partnering with So, it’s sometimes frustrating being asked to do things that our state and local counterparts, and so we do that from time maybe are not the most probative examinations. to time. We have capabilities that maybe they don’t. Or we Forensic Teacher: I understand. have additional expertise, so we absolutely do work very closely with them. We provide training in some of our areas. Julia: I’ll tell you one of the greatest things too: we have One of the great things about ATF also is that we’re super, really, really good agents. We’re so fortunate to have people super specialized. We don’t do surface level of a million that are truly specialists in what they do that it makes the different crimes. We have laser focus on these few core areas, evidence that comes to us a lot better. I’d say the hardest where we’ve had a very, very deep level of expertise in fire, thing is just like everybody else, doing more with less and explosives, and firearms. knowing that we want to be the ones answering the questions during the investigative phase. A lot of times we’re not able Forensic Teacher: That makes sense. How many people in to because of backlogs. Sometimes something doesn’t get your laboratories are called to testify? I know you’ve done it. worked until several months after we get it, and it can help for But how many others do it on a regular basis? court. It can help for making arrests and things like that. But Julia: So, anybody that’s an examiner will be called upon to boy, what a difference it would make if we were able to get all testify. We do see, depending on the discipline, some people the fired cartridge cases and give an answer, you know, two get called more frequently than others. I’d say our firearms days later. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t happen in real life. examiners and our fingerprint examiners probably get called I also want to mention the extreme dedication of our the most frequently. But our explosives people do. Our trace forensic staff. While many are sheltering in place during this people do. Our fire debris examiners do. Really, everybody COVID-19 public health crisis, our people are still doing the does. critical work necessary to support investigations like coming Forensic Teacher: What do you like most about your job? I to the lab, examining evidence, and getting critical case think I know what you’re going to say, but— information. Staff are juggling schedules, staggering hours, Julia: Well, it’s kind of funny, because, so, my current job and working weekends to ensure social distancing within the now is, I’m the boss. Forensic Teacher: Okay. Julia: The answer from when I was a forensic scientist is very different than what it is now. Today I’m an administrator and in a leadership role, and I enjoy watching people advance and make discoveries, and be able to move forward. When I was a chemist, of course, it’s always the ah-ha moment. Forensic Teacher: Oh, yeah. Julia: When you find something that you didn’t think you could find. When you’re able to really make a difference, or answer a difficult question, or help an agent learn something about how something might have happened that they otherwise didn’t understand. I’ve always really liked training. I’ve done a lot of training of other chemists in the area of fire debris analysis, kind of my area of Arson costs taxpayers billions every year (Adobe stock) 11 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 lab while balancing family concerns and children home from Forensic Teacher: That’s really special. Thank you for school. The dedication of our forensic personnel is simply sharing. What advances have you been glad to see in the last phenomenal and I am so proud to be a part of such a group. 10, 15 years in forensics as applied to what you guys are Forensic Teacher: That’s fantastic. Listen, you’ve been there doing? quite a while, so what was your hardest or strangest or most Julia: A lot of what we’re seeing really is in the area of DNA memorable case you worked on? analysis. I know certainly in ATF everything we’re getting Julia: I’d say probably the most important one for me, I is more sensitive, and we’re getting better like that. But I’d didn’t actually work the evidence, but I responded to the say some of the biggest advances have really been in DNA, scene of the Oklahoma City Bombing. For me, that was really, in complex mixtures. The ability to look at lower levels. One really ... It was heartrending, you know, in so many ways. And of the problems we had with getting DNA off fired cartridge it was memorable too. cases had to do with copper, and copper kind of, I don’t know if de-natures is the right word, but kind of breaks down DNA Forensic Teacher: How so? and makes it very difficult to recover. Julia: Everything from the partnerships of the state and Forensic Teacher: No kidding. local agencies to the magnitude of the crime scene, the communication amongst all the different agencies working Julia: That has been a really, really big challenge, and the together, and really, just the whole community. You know, research we’ve been working on in our lab over the last there are so many people that were at that scene for weeks several years has gotten us to the point where we are able to at a time, that everybody contributed to that scene, and not recover usable profiles from fired cartridge cases. So, being just the law enforcement personnel. But people who lived in able to do things like that, where we can really get a lead in a Oklahoma City that wanted to help, that would bring lunch to case, where otherwise we maybe wouldn’t have been able to, the people that were working. is big. We’re able to do stuff that never could have been done before, not just with the DNA database, but with the NIBIN Forensic Teacher: Wow. (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, formerly Julia: People who were hairdressers in Oklahoma City that IBIS). knew our people were stuck there for weeks and weeks. They All of these things help where you could do something, where came and they gave haircuts to people. Masseuses, because maybe you could link two things where you had no idea that you’ve been digging, you know, in a bomb scene all day, what happened here is connected to what happened there. that would give a massage at the end of the workday because And you’re asking yourself, what do these two scenes have in everybody, everybody came together as a community for that. common? And all of a sudden there’s a lead investigators can Everyone had a different skill, and everybody had something use. So I think the information sharing and all those things different that they wanted to contribute to help. Whatever it have had a huge impact. was, and I just thought it was really, it was just beautiful. I mean, it was people really working together. Forensic Teacher: I see why you’re excited. What about explosives? I don’t think our readers know much about how Forensic Teacher: That’s really moving. explosives are tracked. What are they called? The little trace Julia: It was. It was, it just, to this day it’s still just, yeah.

Some of the weapons seized during an ATF raid on a gang stronghold (ATF) 12 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com signature things explosive manufacturers are required to put in their products that aren’t destroyed in the explosion and can be recovered by CSIs. Julia: That’s right. One of the big things we have for explosives is called BATS. And that stands for Bomb Arson Tracking System. It’s a database that’s available to local and state investigators as well. If a bomber uses certain components, when we recover those components all that information gets into the database, so you could see if a similar bomb went off in Maryland, and then also in Virginia. Again, we’re able to link things, multi-jurisdictionally, and seeing signatures like that is so important. ATF had done a lot of research years ago on smokeless powder and some of the signatures in those things, based on particle size and some of the additive packages in those. While we’re not currently keeping that up anymore, the database does exist at The The Oklahoma City bombing destroyed over one third of the building in the initial blast (Wikipedia) National Center for Forensic Science at the University of duper experts in things like arson and explosives, and maybe Central Florida. It contributed to an ignitable liquid reference because we don’t have those letters in our initials, that people collection, which might sound like a weird thing, but that’s don’t really realize the depth of expertise we have in those related to what we do for arson. And that’s important because fields. if somebody poured gasoline, which is a pretty well-known ignitable liquid at a crime scene it’s easy to identify, but Forensic Teacher: How many agents does the ATF have? sometimes we’ll find other weird products. So, this is the Julia: As of last year we had over 2,600 special agents, database where arson investigators can research weird 840 industry operations investigators, and at least 1,630 products they’ve never seen it before. other employees who fall into administrative, technical, Forensic Teacher: Okay. Now, forgive me for being ignorant. professional categories. But your agency also does alcohol and tobacco. Guns and Forensic Teacher: it’s funny, we see ATF on TV. We also see explosives are pretty self-explanatory. But how do you, what DEA, and we see FBI. A lot of the public thinks that there’s kind of forensics do you use for alcohol and tobacco crimes? multiple thousands of agents for all those groups. I’m glad Julia: So, just a brief history of ATF. We used to be part of you were able to shed some light on that. You mentioned, the Department of Treasury, and we had two different halves. Julia, a little earlier about the CSI effect. What do you think We had our criminal enforcement, and we had regulatory about that and what it’s done to courtroom testimonies? And enforcement. When the Department of Homeland Security courtrooms in general? came about in 2003, which was in response to 9/11, most Julia: It’s a bit of a challenge. I’ll say, like everything, there’s of the Treasury’s law enforcement went under Department some pluses and minuses. I think one of the great advantages of Homeland Security. The ATF, however, split in half. Our of that is people care about what we have to say. It’s not like, law enforcement half came under the Department of Justice, oh, no, here comes the science. I want to go to sleep. You whereas our regulatory enforcement, testing formulas for know, they’re kind of excited to hear it. There are obviously alcohols and things like that, remains under Treasury. We still misconceptions on TV that things happen as quickly as they do criminal enforcement for alcohol and tobacco, but it is not do between commercials, or that a computer gives you the nearly as big a part of the work that we do on violent crime. answer, and somebody’s driver’s license pops up. You know, You can get stuff really cheap in Virginia like cigarettes or it doesn’t work that way. They would say, it looks like it alcohol that’s crazy expensive due to tax in New York. So, we might, maybe be this guy, and then we’d have to pull the still investigate if people are illegally diverting those kind of fingerprint from that guy. And then we’d have an examiner do things. But it’s not as huge a part of our mission, even though an examination. we have two capital letters in our name, A and T. It’s not as So, I think there are things like that, you know, the time that it big as part of our mission as it had historically been, back in takes to do things. I think also that the bad guys don’t always the Eliot Ness days. leave as much evidence as it looks like on TV. You know, Forensic Teacher: Okay. Well, long as we’re talking about you can touch something, and you don’t leave a fingerprint, Hollywood, what are three things the public has wrong about maybe because it’s smeared or maybe because it got wiped the ATF from TV or movies? Three misconceptions. off. Or maybe just sometimes you don’t, you know, you’re Julia: Right. Well, I would say one thing is people don’t not real sweaty, and you just didn’t leave a good print. I think always know that we’re a relatively small branch of the sometimes people don’t always realize that not everything is government. Being a federal agency I think sometimes as easy as it looks on TV. people assume we’re huge, but we are not really. I also But there’s a great positive from the CSI effect, too, and I think sometimes people don’t really know that we’re super- 13 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 The ATF National Firearms Reference Collection contains more than 17,000 working firearms of both foreign and domestic, military, commercial, and homemade manufactured. Located at a secure site in West Virginia, the collection assists the Bureau with firearms identification, classification, testing, and other government uses. think this is where, you know, the education aspect comes All I could think of was, ‘Hey, look, I’m studying to be a in. We have such a fabulous crop of young people who are chemist. You know, you guys did good.’ excited about this field. You know, it’s not drawing from Forensic Teacher: That’s incredible! people like me that’s like, “I’m a chemist, I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.” But we have people who are Julia: I would say those were probably the two biggest ones. like, “Oh, this is fabulous. I want to be a forensic person.” Again, they just really cared about what they were doing. And they’re getting this excitement at a very early age and They cared about imparting it, and again, their passion for it taking classes that are specific, that are covering the chemistry came across. It was more than a little contagious. and the evidence handling and all these things. So, it’s giving Forensic Teacher: That’s great. I’ll tell you, as a teacher, us just a wonderful crop of new people to come in and step up one of the greatest things you can ever do is to track down a and take over. teacher from your past who had an influence on you and tell Forensic Teacher: So Julia, when you were younger, what them what a difference they made in your life. There’s no classes or teachers really, really spoke to you in your learning greater gift you can give to a former educator. style and got you excited? Do you remember any of those Julia: I do remember writing a letter to Mr. Muless who was teachers? Was there something they did that really turned you my English teacher in high school. I remember telling him on, mentally? how grateful I was because he made us do all these writing Julia: Oh, yeah. I think sometimes you can just tell some prompts. He would ask us some random question, and we’d teachers loved what they were doing. I think I maybe have half an hour to write about it, and we had to write about appreciate them more looking back than I did at the time. it coherently. When I went to the University of Maryland I Mr. Robinson and Mr. Palkovic at Seneca Valley High got credit for freshman English because I passed a test, so I School were my chemistry teachers, and you could tell they didn’t have to actually take the class. There were two parts to really loved what they did. Fast forward a couple years to the test, a multiple-choice part and an essay part. When they the University of Maryland in College Park when I was a posted the scores I saw I passed both parts, but there were a chemistry major, and I literally ran into both of them in a lab. lot of people who failed the essay part. Since you had to pass They were doing some summer program for teachers there. both parts to get credit for the class I got my three credits. I 14 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com didn’t have to take freshmen English. I actually wrote a letter to Mr. Muless and told him, “Thank you so much for doing this, making us do that because it prepared me for this.” Oklahoma City Forensic Teacher: Well, I can tell you he really appreciated that. Speaking of teachers what do you think is the most important thing a teacher can do for his or her students? Bombing Julia: You know, I think believe in them, and understand that every student is unique, and that everybody has a different perspective. It takes a different thing just to reach and to ignite the passion in different students. Just recognize that, and keep What happened? your chin up on the days when you have the ones that are not as enthusiastic. Because we’re all going to have the bell At 9:02 AM on April 19, 1995 a rental truck holding curve of students, no doubt. Don’t let those ones drag you more than 5000 pounds of explosives detonated in down. But yeah, just recognize the individuality of each of the front of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma students, and appreciate that. City, OK, killing 168 people including many children Forensic Teacher: Sounds good. Do you have any tips for who were in the facility’s day care center, injuring students who are interested in a career in forensics? nearly 700 more, and damaging or destroying more than 324 other buildings in a 16 block radius. It Julia: Yeah, I mean, this is another CSI effect thing, too. remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in US It’s a lot of science, you know. It’s not just crime scene, history. although there are crime scene positions. But to work in the laboratory you really have to have a strong fundamental Who did it and why? science background. So I would say do not shy away from science classes. Load up on them. If you take more in high The chief conspirators were Timothy McVeigh and school, guess what? College is going to be easier. Take the Terry Nichols. McVeigh set the timers, parked the science classes. When you’re in college, really work to get truck, and walked to his getaway car two minutes an internship. I will say nowadays, because we are a popular before the explosion. The men and an accomplice blamed the ATF for the deaths of 76 Branch Davidians field, we are seeing a lot more interns with masters degrees. at Waco, TX exactly 2 years before. They chose the When I started, you could really enter into the field with a building because it housed offices of the ATF, FBI, bachelors. It’s getting not quite as easy, just because there’s so and DEA. much competition. So, I encourage people really to consider a bachelors and a How was McVeigh apprehended? masters, if they’re able to. It’s a much better way of getting a foot in the door. Seek internships, and reach out if you have a The federal response was immediate, but evidence lab in your area. Some are nicer than others or more available was in short supply. Like many people McVeigh assumed a powerful explosion would destroy all than others. But reach out, make the contact, even if you evidence. However, the rear axle of the truck was come in for an informational interview and a tour of the lab, if located and the VIN number was used to trace the they’re willing to do that. I think it’s super helpful, just so you truck to a Ryder rental agency in nearby Kansas. get a little bit better idea of what goes on. The manager helped create a sketch of the man who rented the truck. A clerk at a nearby motel recognized the man who used his real name to rent a room the night before and a massive manhunt was launched. Ironically, McVeigh was already in custody. Within 90 minutes of the explosion he was stopped by a state trooper for driving a car with no license plate. After the cop found a loaded gun in the car McVeigh was arrested. It wasn’t long before the feds scooped him up and found more evidence at his home. McVeigh was later convicted and executed. The entire story can be found at https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing.

An aerial view of the damage to the Murrah Federal Building (Wikipedia) 15 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Truth or Dare By Mark R. Feil, Ed.D.

his is an activity designed to assess your students’ either the left or the right according to if they believe what knowledge of forensics at the beginning of the school you said is true. If a student can’t make up their mind and year, and give them a preview of topics you intend to chooses to remain upright, prompt them to make a decision. T Other responses are T/F on opposite sides of a piece of paper, cover during the course. This game can be played either in person or via distance-learning using Zoom or another group touch your nose if it’s false, etc. chat video application. Scoring: Every student who answers a question correctly gets The truths and dares listed below are only suggestions to get a point. Tell students to use the honor system and keep track you started. Depending on your curriculum you should tailor of their own points. Poll the students at the end of class about the statements accordingly. Your first task is to decide if you their scores. The purpose of this exercise isn’t to give them want your students to declare whether they want a truth or a a grade, but to inform both you and them how little or how dare, or if you simply want to tell them what’s coming next. much they know about forensics, and have fun doing it.

Truths: Dares:

In person: Get the students on their feet and tell them one In person: Using the list of dares below, tell your students wall of your classroom is where they will go to stand if they to work in pairs, and if you have a single student left over, think the statement you read is true. If they disagree with create a trio. Inform your class that time is of the essence, your statement they will stand against the opposite wall. This and each dare is only good for five minutes (or whatever time forces students to make a decision since you will inform them you decide). If a team hands an answer to you on paper, or they must take a side within a given timeframe, 10 seconds demonstrates it to you discreetly in person within the first 60 for example. This will not only give you a clue about how seconds, and it’s correct, they will receive five points. If they important peer pressure is, but it will allow you to instantly hand it in during the next 60 seconds, and it’s correct, they gauge the level of forensic misconceptions amongst your will receive four points, and so on until answers are worth students. nothing after the five minute mark. Any team submitting an incorrect answer will receive zero points. IMPORTANT: On Zoom: Because your students have to remain in front of warn your students to work quietly to avoid someone stealing the camera on their computer ask them to lean noticeably to their answers. Likewise, caution your students to not always believe what they overhear–the other students might be wrong, and wrong answers are worth nothing.

On Zoom: Because of the nature of group video chats, student can’t work in pairs, and anyone talking will be overheard. However, Zoom allows chat participants to privately text the moderator (you), so students can submit their answers this way. Students won’t have the benefit of a partner to work with, so you’ll have to be flexible and creative. Maybe you will want to give them permission to Google the answer. Maybe not. Maybe you will decide to only do the truth part of this exercise, and forget about the dares. Maybe not. Whatever you decide please write us at admin@ theforensicteacher.com and let us know what happened, or post a comment on the wall in Forensic Science Teachers group on Facebook. This activity can’t improve without your feedback!

16 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Example Truths ▪ DNA from a deceased individual can be recovered from the insects that feed on the body. (True) ▪ Enough DNA for an identification can be recovered from a single human fingerprint. (True) ▪ DNA sample collection procedures are now so Example Dares sensitive your DNA can be isolated from the air in a room up to one hour after you leave it. (False) ▪ Find two body measurements that will always equal Truth Dare ▪ After six months of sobriety your blood will test each other. negative for drugs, but your hair will test positive if ▪ Find something other than fingerprints unique to you haven’t cut it. (True) each individual. ▪ Dead bodies always cool at a predictable rate. (False) ▪ Identify four pieces of trace evidence in your room. ▪ People with sickle cell anemia don’t display blood ▪ Identify four pieces of trace evidence on your person. spatter patterns like people without it. (False) ▪ Name 12 bones in your body. ▪ Every rifled gun barrel leaves particular markings ▪ Identify/demonstrate two ways two pieces of on every bullet that passes through it, which allows footware can be distinguished from each other even bullets to be traced to a specific gun. (True) if they are the same brand, size, handedness, and ▪ A clear bite mark left by a killer on his victim can be model. used as evidence at trial. (False) ▪ Demonstrate how when two objects make contact, ▪ Identical twins have identical fingerprints. (False) evidence from one is transferred to the other. ▪ Your handwriting will give a criminal profiler clues ▪ Draw on a piece of paper symbolizing a field next to your personality. (False) to a forest how a single individual can effectively ▪ Superglue can be used to find invisible fingerprints. search the field for evidence. (True) ▪ Draw on a piece of paper symbolizing a field next to ▪ Blood splatter is a specialty of forensic science a road how several individuals can effectively search concerned with the trajectory and dispersion of blood the field for evidence. droplets. (False) ▪ Name the three main types of fingerprints patterns. ▪ The study of bones as it concerns the law is called ▪ Name two of the eight subtypes of fingerprint forensic anthropology. (True) patterns. ▪ Different types of fibers can be identified by burning ▪ Demonstrate whether or not you have fingerprint them. (True) patterns on your toes. ▪ There are certain features on the human skeleton ▪ Identify a body part that will never leave DNA at a that allow the sex of the individual to be determined. crime scene. (True)

17 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Looking for a BANG at work? Turn your students on to these jobs with the ATF

Certified Fire Investigators

ATF Certified Fire Investigators (CFIs) are the only investigators trained by a Federal law enforcement agency to qualify as expert witnesses in fire origin and cause determinations.

Historically, fire investigators relied on a variety of indicators to determine how and where a fire started. The physical evidence that “defined” an arson was accepted as “fact” and used in court to support an incendiary cause for a fire. However, successful defense challenges to many of these indicators has required further scientific validation. ATF’s CFI Program has taken fire investigation and analysis beyond a discipline based on experience and has applied scientific and engineering technology.

Through computer software programs, these agents can use mathematical equations to describe the chemical and physical behavior of fire. Computer modeling has proven successful in the courtroom. It has been used as an interrogation tool to verify what a witness or suspect has said and as a means to refute the testimony of a defense witness.

To become a CFI, an ATF special agent must undergo a 2-year training program that includes 6 weeks of class work, synthesize novel explosive mixtures, develop safe methods of and examining 100 fire scenes under the mentorship of an initiation, and analyze and detonate the explosive on a custom experienced CFI. range, ERDD provides customized evidence on the viability of real-world IEDs, which allows law enforcement personnel For more information about CFIs, go to https://www.atf. to allocate resources appropriately and manage current threats. gov/resource-center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-certified-fire- investigator-cfi. The ERDD conducts explosives research, testing and general explosives support for ATF, Department of Defense, and Explosives Research And Development Department of Homeland Security. It is located in Huntsville, AL., at Redstone Arsenal and consists of test ranges, The primary goals of the ATF’s Explosives Research and laboratories and classrooms. There are more than 1,000 acres Development Division (ERDD) are the improvement of of test ranges and training facilities, as well as 83,500 square explosives investigation techniques and the safe disposal of feet of classrooms and laboratories. explosives and safe storage of explosives. ATF is a leading source for cutting edge R&D in the field of explosives, with For more information visit https://www.atf.gov/resource- national recognition. center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-explosives-research-and- development-division. Additionally, the ERDD rapid test and evaluation program for real-world improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is rapidly evolving to meet current needs. With the ability to safely 18 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Certified Explosives Specialist for criminal prosecutions; and assist with explosives research, development, testing, and evaluation. The ATF’s certified explosive specialists (CESs) are experienced special agents who investigate violations of ATF currently has 19 explosives enforcement officers Looking for a BANG federal explosives laws. They specialize in enforcing and stationed throughout the country. Many EEOs previously investigating violations of federal explosives and firearms served as explosive ordnance disposal technicians in the U.S. laws, which includes bombings, explosives thefts, and military. other explosives-related matters relevant to the unlawful use, storage, manufacture, and distribution of explosives. EEOs assist ATF special agents and state, local, and other at work? These personnel also include experienced bomb technicians federal law enforcement agencies in explosive-related who render safe destructive devices, conduct advanced investigations and provide expert courtroom testimony in disassembly procedures to preserve and exploit evidence, and support of these investigations. They are the primary technical provide destructive device determinations for expert evidence advisors and support within ATF on matters involving testimony in criminal prosecutions. destructive devices.

Since EEOs previously served as explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians in the U.S. military, they received extensive specialized explosives and bomb disposal training. On average, EEOs have 16 years of experience in the bomb disposal field prior to their employment by ATF.

For more information visit https://www.atf.gov/resource- center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-explosives-enforcement-officer- eeo.

Criminal Investigative Analysis

Since 1986, ATF has had special agent/criminal profilers assigned to the FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) in Quantico, Virginia. The NCAVC is a law enforcement-oriented, behavioral science, and resource center that offers investigative support, research, and training to law enforcement agencies throughout the world.

A behavioral profiler assists ATF in bombing, arson, and other violent crime investigations by analyzing and interpreting crime scene behavior and victim/witness/suspect Part of the CES’s responsibilities is to maintain a working statements, as well as assessing the personalities and risk knowledge of commercial and military explosives, homemade levels of known offenders. explosives (HME), and destructive devices. A geographic profiler uses an investigative methodology that The road to becoming a CES begins with the completion of analyzes the locations of connected crimes in an attempt to a two-year simulated and real-world experience candidacy program. Upon completing the two-year candidacy program, CESs attend an Improvised Explosive Device Training course at the Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

For more information visit https://www.atf.gov/resource- center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-certified-explosives-specialist-ces.

Explosives Enforcement Officers

The ATF’s explosives enforcement officers (EEO) have unique technical capabilities in explosives and bomb disposal. They render bombs and other destructive devices safe; conduct advanced disassembly procedures in order to preserve and exploit evidence; provide explosive device determinations 19 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020

pinpoint the most probable area where an offender would live. Annually, FTCB responds to approximately 650 law ATF is the only Federal agency to have a geographic profiler. enforcement requests to test, evaluate, classify, and provide training regarding firearms and ammunition. FTCB provides ATF’s profilers offer their services to any bona fide law technical reports for use in criminal prosecutions and expert enforcement or fire service agency in the United States and witness testimony in federal, state, and military courts. the world. The profilers also work on research projects at the NCAVC in order to publish articles designed to educate law For more information visit https://www.atf.gov/resource- enforcement. Each undergoes an intensive 2-year training center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-firearms-and-ammunition- program in behavioral science principles, crime scene technology-division. analysis, and interpretation, forensic science, and pathology. Upon completion of their training, the International Criminal Investigative Analysis Fellowship certifies the profilers.

Some notable cases involving ATF profilers include the 2002 bombing of a power plant during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City; the 2002 Washington, DC, sniper attacks; the 9/11 terrorist attacks; and the Washington, DC, serial arsonist.

For more information visit https://www.atf.gov/resource- center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-criminal-profiling-program.

Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division Student Educational, Volunteer, And (FATD) provides expert technical support on firearms and Employment Programs ammunition to the Bureau, the industry, and the general public. The division maintains an extensive reference The ATF participates in a number of paid internship programs. collection of more than 15,000 working firearms. To learn more visit https://www.atf.gov/careers/internships.

Annually, this group responds to approximately 750 The student volunteer program is an unpaid program that industry requests regarding importation evaluations and allows students in high school, vo-tech school, a 2-year or domestic manufacturing examinations, and provides licensed 4-year university, or a graduate or professional school the manufacturers and importers with marking variances. It assists opportunity to explore career options and develop personal the general public regarding curio and relic determinations, and professional skills. Student volunteers are exposed to the responds to general inquiries, and serves as custodian of Federal work environment and will learn about the mission ATF’s National Firearms Collection and investigative prop and responsibilities of ATF. Student volunteers may or may inventory. FTISB also supports the full life cycle of ATF not be assigned duties which relate to their course of study. firearms from procurement of new weapons, to the ultimate destruction or reutilization of forfeited, issued, or purchased To apply for a position as a Student Volunteer submit your firearms and ammunition. resume along with a message specifying the city and state in which you wish to volunteer and semester(s) you are available to work to [email protected]. For a list of ATF Offices around the country, please visit https://www.atf.gov/contact/ atf-field-divisions.

Resources: Questions about the paid internships (e.g. Pathways, Recent Graduates, and Presidential Management Fellows programs) may be directed to [email protected] or by calling 202-648-7330. Questions about the unpaid internships (e.g. student volunteers) may be directed to the Diversity and Inclusion Branch at [email protected] or by calling 202-648-8770.

20 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Click for CSI: At-home edition

Photo Crimes he images on the next two pages comprise a crime. The idea is to present them to your students and challenge them to solve the crime by looking at the Tphotographs and reading the descriptions. If you want to make a class set of the pages and have your students work on them in pairs, you’re going to need a printer (and then a copier) capable of printing in color or gray scale. A printer or copier that only turns out black and white products just isn’t going to work. OR, you could transfer the images to a projector that allows every student to see them all at once.

These pages are from Scotland Yard Photo Crimes, used with permission of Dorling Kindersley Publishers. The answers are on page 66.

Get started now

21 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 22 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The solution Theis answer on page is on page 66. 54 Answer on page 70

23 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Evidence Lab By Jeanette Hencken

nowing how to package and preserve evidence Is Time Required: an important skill my students learn early in the 35 minutes Kschool year. Over the years I developed the following activity to give them practice doing so after we’ve gone over Suggested classroom management: the principles and guidelines to this vital task. Group the students in pairs and give each pair of students two pieces of evidence that you have prepared as described above Materials: and the “Evidence Lab” handout. Explain to the students One evidence container with evidence per student that they are expected to identify what is correct and what is Sealing tape for each container incorrect about the way the evidence was collected by placing Container types: coin envelopes (very small manila a check mark in the appropriate column on the handout. envelopes), small zip-closure plastic bags, empty film canisters or clean, empty pill bottles. Appropriate container types: Small samples of hair, fiber, glass, cartridge cases, and Hair and fibers should be in sealable plastic bags. “blood” Glass and metal (bullets and cartridge cases) should be Cotton swabs in rigid containers that prevent change to the item. Some Red ink or red food coloring examples are film canisters and pill bottles. Fine point permanent black marker Items with blood, saliva, or others sources of DNA should be in paper containers to prevent mold from forming. Teacher Preparation: Soil, if air dried, should be in film canister or pill bottle to Copy the “Evidence Lab” handout to give to each student. prevent loss. If not dried it should be in cardboard box to For each student you will need to have a piece of evidence in prevent mold development. a container that you have numbered for grading purposes with numbers 1-24 (if you have 24 students in each class). Some More information about appropriate collection of evidence of the evidence should be in appropriate containers. Others can be found in the FBI’s Handbook of Forensic Services, should be in the wrong type of container. Some examples: bits https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/handbook-of- of tempered glass from car windows in the envelopes (wrong forensic-services-pdf.pdf/viewservices-pdf.pdf/. container), bits of glass in film canisters, hair in sealable plastic bag, hair in pill bottle (wrong container), cotton swab dipped in red dye or ink to simulate blood placed in envelope, cotton swab dipped in red dye or ink placed in plastic bag (wrong container), cotton swab dipped in red dye or ink placed in pill bottle (wrong container).

Some of the containers should be appropriately labeled with minimum required information (name of collector, date & time collected, and description of evidence) and have a seal across the opening with initials of collector and date collected on the seal. Some of containers should be missing parts of the label or the seal is not over the opening or incomplete.

Students will record on the handout the number you have given their evidence. I would recommend creating a scoring guide that is a table or spreadsheet listing the number of each piece of evidence you create and the answers to the questions as simple “Y” for yes answers to the questions on the handout. See my example key after the handout. This key significantly reduced my grading time. 24 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Evidence Lab Key Num Label Seal Separate? Appro- Why appropriate? Name Date Time Desc opening initials date priate 1 Y (hair)should be in sealable YYYY plastic 2 Y (fiber)should be in sealable YYYY plastic 3 Y (hair)should be in sealable YYYYY plastic 4 Y Y (Blood) should be in paper/YYYYYY porous 5 Y Y (Blood) should be in paper/ YYYYY porous 6 Y (glass) should be in rigid YYY container like film canister 7 (Blood) should be in paper/ Y porous 8 (cartridge case) should be YY in rigid 9 Y (Blood) should be in paper/ YY porous 10 Y (cartridge case) should be YY Y in rigid 11 (Blood) should be in paper/ Y Y porous 12 Y (cartridge case) should be YYYYYY in rigid 13 Y (Blood) should be in paper/YYYYYYY porous 14 Y (hair)should be in sealable YYYYY plastic 15 Y (cartridge case) should be YY Y in rigid

25 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Evidence Lab

Your Name: ______Partner’s Name:______

A. Record the number of your evidence. ______1. Which of the following parts of an appropriate label are present and which are missing?

Part of the label Present Absent Name of collector Date collected Time collected Description of the evidence

2. Which of the following parts are required to appropriately seal the evidence are present and which are missing?

Part of sealing Present Absent Seal is in place across the opening of the container Initials of collector Date collected

3. Is the evidence in an appropriate container? Why is it appropriate or inappropriate?

B. Record the number of your evidence. ______1. Which of the following parts of an appropriate label are present and which are missing?

Part of the label Present Absent Name of collector Date collected Time collected Description of the evidence

2. Which of the following parts required to appropriately seal the evidence are present and which are missing?

Part of sealing Present Absent Seal is in place across the opening of the container Initials of collector Date collected

3. Is the evidence in an appropriate container? Why is it appropriate or inappropriate?

26 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The First DayBy Brian Bollone have a back-to-school activity I do the first day of class Usually, the fingerprints remain, and this leads to a classroom every year. I ask for three volunteers in each class section, discussion on the robustness of fingerprints, why they don’t I have the students touch a rear view mirror (obtained at wash away, and what environmental conditions may affect the a scrap yard for free), sign and date it with a Sharpie, and durability of fingerprints on water submerged items? place it in a tank of tap water in the front of the classroom. I place a paper on the tank with the date it was set up, and The first photograph was taken the first day of school and is of post a question by the tank. “Do fingerprints ‘wash’ off in a student touching the mirror after signing and dating it. And water?” Then, in December when I discuss fingerprints with the second photograph is of the tank of mirrors which is in the my classes, the students who placed a mirror in the tank front of my classroom. retrieve their mirror and process it with small particle reagent.

27 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 The Lab deflagrate (burn rapidly) rather than detonate. In order for a low explosive to explode, it Explosives must be confined. Confinement allows gas pressure within the container to increase; an Explosives Byby DavidDavid Collins Collins Ph.D. Ph.D. explosion occurs only when the container ruptures. Reprinted from Investigating Chemistry in the laboratory, 2nd ed. Explosives may be solids, liquids, or gases. Some explosives may also be gels or Purpose emulsions. The majority of explosive materials found at a crime scene are incorporated into improvised explosive devices (IEDs). IEDs are not made commercially or militarily To introduce the student to three common low explosives (i.e., black powder, smokeless but rather are designed and constructed by individuals in a wide variety of manners. A powder, and sugar/chlorate). Students will become familiar with wet-chemical analysis typical design may include a low explosive such as black powder or smokeless powder techniques employed by forensic scientists for analysis of these three low explosives. confined in a sturdy pipe, tube, or other container and fitted with an ignition system (e.g., spark, fuse, or heating element). Many other designs employing low and high explosives Time Duration 2 – 3 hours have also been constructed. Many explosives are analyzed by performing tests that identify the presence of Materials one or more of their components. Black powder is made of carbon, sulfur, and potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate is very soluble in water and can be removed from black powder Obtain the following materials: through a water extraction; this dramatically decreases the burn rate of the carbon and 1. Two 50-mL beakers sulfur left behind. The major component of all smokeless powder samples is 2. One 100-mL beaker nitrocellulose. Nitrocellulose can be extracted from smokeless powder using acetone and 3. Three 4-inch square pieces of filter paper subsequently precipitated in water. The precipitate appears as a stringy (dead skin–like) 4. Spatula precipitate. 5. Nichrome wire 6. Five 4-inch test tubes Procedures 7. Watch glass 8. Spot plate Part A Analysis of Black Powder 9. Test tube rack • Fill a 4-inch test tube with black powder ¼ inch from the bottom. Add 3 mL of The following materials and chemicals will be supplied as needed: distilled water to the test tube. Shake the test tube vigorously for 1 minute while • Black powder capping the top. Note the appearance of the black powder before and after the • Smokeless powder addition of water. • Powdered sugar • Potassium chlorate • Fold a piece of filter paper making a funnel and place it on top of a 50-mL beaker. • Diphenylamine Wet the filter paper so that it stays in place. Pour the aqueous black powder • Concentrated sulfuric acid solution over the filter paper placed on top of the beaker and allow all of the water • Methanol solution to pass through the paper into the beaker. Make sure all of the black soot • Acetone is transferred to the filter paper. You may need to add a couple additional • Distilled water milliliters of water to the test tube to transfer all of the black soot. • Weigh boats • Several 1-mL disposable plastic pipettes • Pour the filtered water solution (i.e., the filtrate) into a new 4-inch test tube and place it upright in a test tube rack. Rinse the beaker with distilled water, place the Introduction filter paper back into the beaker and wash the black soot again with 5–20 mL of distilled water. Make sure that the sample is well filtered. Collect the second All explosive materials contain chemicals that when reacted generate a large amount of filtrate in a separate test tube. Place aside the filter paper containing the black hot-expanding gases in a very (very) short amount of time. These hot expanding gases soot; it will be used in step 7. cause the devastating effects associated with explosions. Explosives are classified as either “high” or “low.” High explosives have a velocity of detonation greater than 1000 • Weigh out 0.03 g of diphenylamine and place it into a 4-inch test tube. Add to the m/s and typically require a blasting cap or a primer (a small amount of sensitive test tube 3 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid using a 1-mL dropper.* Hold the test explosive material resulting in a shock). A shock is required for detonation of a high tube with one hand and tap the bottom until all of the diphenylamine is dissolved. explosive. Many high explosives will not detonate under a flame but rather burn slowly. Low explosives have a velocity of detonation less than 1000 m/s and are said to 4228 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com TheThe Forensic Forensic Teacher Teacher • Spring • Summer 2011 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com 43 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 deflagrate (burn rapidly) rather than detonate. In order for a low explosive to explode, it must be confined. Confinement allows gas pressure within the container to increase; an explosion occurs only when the container ruptures. Explosives may be solids, liquids, or gases. Some explosives may also be gels or emulsions. The majority of explosive materials found at a crime scene are incorporated into improvised explosive devices (IEDs). IEDs are not made commercially or militarily but rather are designed and constructed by individuals in a wide variety of manners. A typical design may include a low explosive such as black powder or smokeless powder confined in a sturdy pipe, tube, or other container and fitted with an ignition system (e.g., spark, fuse, or heating element). Many other designs employing low and high explosives have also been constructed. Many explosives are analyzed by performing tests that identify the presence of one or more of their components. Black powder is made of carbon, sulfur, and potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate is very soluble in water and can be removed from black powder through a water extraction; this dramatically decreases the burn rate of the carbon and sulfur left behind. The major component of all smokeless powder samples is nitrocellulose. Nitrocellulose can be extracted from smokeless powder using acetone and subsequently precipitated in water. The precipitate appears as a stringy (dead skin–like) precipitate.

Procedures

Part A Analysis of Black Powder

• Fill a 4-inch test tube with black powder ¼ inch from the bottom. Add 3 mL of distilled water to the test tube. Shake the test tube vigorously for 1 minute while capping the top. Note the appearance of the black powder before and after the addition of water.

• Fold a piece of filter paper making a funnel and place it on top of a 50-mL beaker. Wet the filter paper so that it stays in place. Pour the aqueous black powder solution over the filter paper placed on top of the beaker and allow all of the water solution to pass through the paper into the beaker. Make sure all of the black soot is transferred to the filter paper. You may need to add a couple additional milliliters of water to the test tube to transfer all of the black soot.

• Pour the filtered water solution (i.e., the filtrate) into a new 4-inch test tube and place it upright in a test tube rack. Rinse the beaker with distilled water, place the filter paper back into the beaker and wash the black soot again with 5–20 mL of distilled water. Make sure that the sample is well filtered. Collect the second filtrate in a separate test tube. Place aside the filter paper containing the black soot; it will be used in step 7.

• Weigh out 0.03 g of diphenylamine and place it into a 4-inch test tube. Add to the test tube 3 mL of concentrated sulfuric acid using a 1-mL dropper.* Hold the test tube with one hand and tap the bottom until all of the diphenylamine is dissolved.

29 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 43 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011

* Sulfuric acid is a very dangerous and corrosive acid. If a drop falls from the dropper clean it up immediately. If your clothing or skin comes in contact with the acid, rinse immediately and thoroughly.

• Test for nitrates: Place 1–2 drops of the second filtrate into a well of a spot plate. Add a small amount of distilled water to dilute the drops. Place 1–2 drops of the diphenylamine solution into the same well of the spot plate. Record the immediate and subsequent results (i.e., color change). Also test the dry powder directly for nitrates by placing a small amount of black powder (a few flakes) into a spot plate well and adding a few drops of diphenylamine solution onto the powder. View the black powder flakes and the ring around the murky solution. Record your results.

• Test for potassium ion: Obtain a Bunsen burner and approximately 8 inches of nichrome wire. Bend a small loop into the nichrome wire at one end. Light your Bunsen burner. Clean and dry the nichrome wire with distilled water. Wet your flame test loop with distilled water and place it in the flame of the Bunsen burner for 20–30 seconds. Record the change of the flame color as the water evaporates and the wire begins to glow. Next, wet your wire with the first filtrate and perform the same test. Record your results.

• Test for carbon: Retrieve your filter paper. Collect a small amount of black soot from the paper with your spatula or tongs. Place the spatula or tongs into the flame of a Bunsen burner for 20–30 seconds or until the soot begins to glow. Remove the spatula from the flame and blow on the glowing soot. Record your results.

• Filter a smokeless powder sample one time as you did black powder in steps 1 and 2. Test the smokeless powder filtrate and a dry smokeless powder sample using your diphenylamine solution. Record you observations.

Part B Analysis for Nitrocellulose

• Fill a 4-inch test tube with smokeless powder ¼ inch from the bottom. Add 2 mL of acetone to the test tube. Shake the test tube vigorously for 10 seconds while capping the top. Allow any solid powder to settle to the bottom of the test tube.

• Test for nitrocellulose: Fill a clean test tube approximately two-thirds full with distilled water. Remove some of the acetone from the test tube prepared in step 1 using a plastic pipette and place 2–5 drops into the water-filled test tube. Shake the test tube gently and hold against a dark background. Record your results.

44 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com 30 The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Part C Analysis of Burned Samples

• Acquire a pinch of smokeless powder and place it into a watch glass. Place the watch glass in the hood and light the powder. Record your results.

• Place a small amount of water onto the residue. Mix the water well with the sample by sucking it back into the pipette several times. Place a few drops of the water extract into a spot place. Add a few drops of diphenylamine solution to the extract. Record both immediate and subsequent results.

• Burn a second smokeless powder sample. Test the residue for nitrocellulose by adding a few drops of acetone to the residue using a dropper. Mix the acetone well with the sample by collecting it back into the pipette several times. Add a few drops to a test tube containing water as you did in step 2 of part C. Record your results.

• Repeat steps 1 and 2 for black powder. Record your results.

Part D Analysis of Sugar/Chlorate Explosive

• Measure the mass of approximately 0.1 g of powdered sugar and 0.4 g of potassium chlorate. Place both onto a watch glass and mix together thoroughly. This will require careful folding of the powder. Record its appearance.

• After the powders are thoroughly mixed, remove approximately 0.01 g and place into a test tube. Add approximately 5 mL of distilled water to the test tube.

• Test for chlorates: Add one drop of the above solution to a spot plate well. Add one drop of diphenylamine solution to the same well and record both initial and subsequent results.*

* You may notice that the diphenylamine test can be used to test for both nitrates and chlorates.

• Make a pile at the bottom of the watch glass with the remaining sugar/chlorate powder.

• In a fume hood, place 2–3 drops of concentrated sulfuric acid approximately 1 cm from the powder. Shut the sash of the fume hood and allow the sulfuric acid to slowly flow towards the pile of sugar/chlorate powder.* Record your observations.

* It is important to shut the sash since the initiation of the reaction may cause spattering. First you will see some bubbles and then you should see a flame. It

31 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 45 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 may take several seconds for ignition. Plan where you will be placing the sulfuric acid dropper ahead of time and leave it in the fume hood.

• Test for chlorates: After ignition, add 3–5 mL of distilled water to the residue in the watch glass. Mix the water well with the sample by sucking it back into the pipette several times. Add one drop of this distilled water solution to a spot plate well. Add one drop of diphenylamine solution to the same well and record both initial and subsequent results.

• Clean up when finished.

32 46 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Name:______Date:______

Experiment 11 Explosives Worksheet

Results and Observations

Part A Analysis of Black Powder

• Appearance of black powder before and after addition of water

• Observations of diphenylamine test on filtrate

• Observations of diphenylamine test on dry sample

• Observations of flame test with water

• Observations of flame test with black powder filtrate

• Observations of carbon test

• Appearance of smokeless powder before and after addition of water

• Observations of diphenylamine test on smokeless powder filtrate

• Observations of diphenylamine test on dry smokeless powder sample

www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com 4733 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • SpringSummer 2011 2020 Part B Analysis for Nitrocellulose

• Observations of nitrocellulose test using smokeless powder • Observations diphenylamine test using unburned sugar/chlorate powder in distilled water

Part C Analysis of Burned Samples • Observations of the burning of sugar/chlorate powder • Observations of burning smokeless powder

• Observations of diphenylamine test using burned sugar/chlorate powder in • Observations of diphenylamine test using burned smokeless powder distilled water

• Observations of nitrocellulose test using burned smokeless powder

• Observations of burning black powder

• Observations of diphenylamine test using burned black powder

Part D Analysis of Sugar/Chlorate Explosive

• Observations of sugar/chlorate powder mixture

3448 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com TheThe Forensic Forensic Teacher Teacher • Summer• Spring 20202011 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com 49 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 • Observations diphenylamine test using unburned sugar/chlorate powder in distilled water

• Observations of the burning of sugar/chlorate powder

• Observations of diphenylamine test using burned sugar/chlorate powder in distilled water

35 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 49 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 Name:______Date:______

Experiment 11 Explosives Questions

• Why didn’t the black soot in part A for black powder ignite and burn as quickly as black powder should? Could moisture cause problems when using black powder? Explain.

• Discuss the differences seen between the diphenylamine test results for the burned and unburned smokeless and black powder filtrate samples. Theorize as to why the results differ for each sample.

• Discuss how you could distinguish smokeless, black, and sugar/chlorate powders based on appearance, burn characteristics, and chemical testing.

50 36 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com TheThe Forensic Forensic Teacher Teacher • •Spring Summer 2011 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Experiment 11 Explosives Instructor Notes and Answers

Part A Analysis of Black Powder

• A funnel can be made by folding a piece of filter paper in half twice and then opening it up at one of its flaps (one side of the funnel will have three plies of filter paper).

• You may choose to place the filter paper into a 50-mL beaker, as suggested, or setup a filtering funnel with your filter paper. For this experiment, the former is adequate and easier.

• Potassium nitrate is extracted from the black powder using warm distilled water and then tested for nitrates using a diphenylamine solution in concentrated sulfuric acid (very corrosive).

• If you are concerned with your students preparing the chemical solutions, you may wish to do it yourself.

• Nitrates should be found present by seeing the representative deep blue color followed by an olive green color shortly after. The olive green color usually appears more quickly with the more concentrated samples.

• Students should be able to recognize that the extracted nitrates generate a more definitive, and more easily recognizable, color than by simply adding the diphenylamine solution directly to the dry black powder.

• A flame test is used to test for potassium. A nichrome wire (or any other suitable flame testing wire) may be used. The presence of potassium generates a violet flame.

• If carbon is present, it is presumptively identified by removing it from the flame and noticing a dull glow that brightens if blown upon.

• The diphenylamine may test a weak positive for the dry smokeless powder. You will most likely not see any color develop for the extracted sample.

3751 www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com TheThe Forensic Forensic Teacher Teacher • • Summer Spring 2011 2020 Part B Analysis for Nitrocellulose

• Nitrocellulose will form a precipitate in water, taking on the appearance of dead skin.

• It may be difficult to remove the remaining smokeless powder sample in the test tube after the addition of acetone. These test tubes may be discarded.

Part C Analysis of Burned Samples

• Advise the students that the black powder will burn very quickly and generate a significant amount of smoke.

Part D Analysis of Sugar/Chlorate Explosive

• Advise the students to thoroughly mix the powdered sugar and potassium chlorate or it will have a difficult time igniting.

• They should get a strong positive diphenylamine test result generating a very deep blue-purple color for both the burned and unburned samples.

• They should get a positive potassium flame test by seeing a violet flame upon ignition.

• It is important that the sash of the fume hood be closed to contain the small amount of spattering that may occur. Advise the students not to place the concentrated sulfuric acid right on the powder, but rather approximately 1 cm away from the powder and allow it to flow into the powder.

• Bubbling and charring of the sugar will occur first. The students should then see a flash of a purple flame (potassium) with a moderate amount of smoke.

• Sugar test: If you wish, you may also test for sugar. Presence of sucrose can be determined by adding five drops of a 1% sucrose solution to 3 mL of a resorcinol solution (0.05 g resorcinol/100 mL 6 M HCl) in a test tube. Upon heating the test tube in boiling water, the solution will turn cherry red if sucrose is present. This test, unfortunately, is problematic with potassium chlorate also present. The chlorate turns the solution yellow prior to heating. Upon heating the solution, it may take on an amber color. It is not advised to perform this test on the sugar/chlorate mixture; however, it may be performed on a pure sugar solution. You may choose to add this to the procedures, or simply perform the test as a demonstration.

3852 TheThe ForensicForensic TeacherTeacher •• SummerSpring 2011 2020 www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Experiment 11 Explosives Answers Part B Analysis for Nitrocellulose • Why didn’t the black soot in part A for black powder ignite and burn as quickly as • Nitrocellulose will form a precipitate in water, taking on the appearance of dead black powder should? Could moisture cause problems when using black powder? skin. Explain.

• It may be difficult to remove the remaining smokeless powder sample in the test The water-soluble oxidizer potassium nitrate was removed from the black tube after the addition of acetone. These test tubes may be discarded. power. By removing the oxidizer, black powder will burn much more slowly. Also, wet black powder may not burn due to the water removing heat from the Part C Analysis of Burned Samples powder as steam.

• Advise the students that the black powder will burn very quickly and generate a • Discuss the differences seen between the diphenylamine test results for the burned significant amount of smoke. and unburned smokeless and black powder filtrate samples. Theorize as to why the results differ for each sample. Part D Analysis of Sugar/Chlorate Explosive The diphenylamine tests results should be a strong positive for unburned black • Advise the students to thoroughly mix the powdered sugar and potassium chlorate powder and a weak positive for unburned smokeless powder. The test should or it will have a difficult time igniting. give a negative result for burned black powder and a positive result for the burned smokeless powder. Theories as to why the results differ should include • They should get a strong positive diphenylamine test result generating a very deep a discussion of the many species that can result in a positive diphenylamine blue-purple color for both the burned and unburned samples. test (i.e., nitrates, nitrites, chlorates, and other oxidizers) and the fact that the potassium nitrate was consumed in the burning of black powder. • They should get a positive potassium flame test by seeing a violet flame upon ignition. • Discuss how you could distinguish smokeless, black, and sugar/chlorate powders based on appearance, burn characteristics, and chemical testing. • It is important that the sash of the fume hood be closed to contain the small amount of spattering that may occur. Advise the students not to place the Unburned samples: concentrated sulfuric acid right on the powder, but rather approximately 1 cm Sugar/Chlorate Powder Smokeless Powder Black Powder away from the powder and allow it to flow into the powder. Strong diphenylamine Weak diphenylamine Strong diphenylamine positive positive positive • Bubbling and charring of the sugar will occur first. The students should then see a White powder Uniformly shaped particles Irregularly shaped particles flash of a purple flame (potassium) with a moderate amount of smoke. Moderate burn rate with Slower burn with little smoke Faster burn with smoke violet flame • Sugar test: If you wish, you may also test for sugar. Presence of sucrose can be determined by adding five drops of a 1% sucrose solution to 3 mL of a resorcinol Moderate amount of smoke Positive nitrocellulose test Negative nitrocellulose test Negative potassium and Positive potassium and solution (0.05 g resorcinol/100 mL 6 M HCl) in a test tube. Upon heating the test Positive potassium test tube in boiling water, the solution will turn cherry red if sucrose is present. This carbon test carbon test, unfortunately, is problematic with potassium chlorate also present. The chlorate turns the solution yellow prior to heating. Upon heating the solution, it Burned samples (may request this additional information from the students): may take on an amber color. It is not advised to perform this test on the Smokeless Powder Black Powder sugar/chlorate mixture; however, it may be performed on a pure sugar solution. Strong diphenylamine positive Diphenylamine negative You may choose to add this to the procedures, or simply perform the test as a Uniformly shaped particle residue Remnants of smoke demonstration. Positive nitrocellulose test Negative nitrocellulose test

This lab reprinted with permission from W. H. Freeman and David Collins, Ph.D. To view information about the textbook associated with this lab please visit http://www.whfreeman.com/Catalog/product/investigatingchemistry-secondedition-johll

52 3953 The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com TheThe Forensic Forensic Teacher Teacher • • Summer Spring 2011 2020 Fingerprint

Bingo By Mark R. Feil, Ed.D. always enjoy seeing students’ faces as they discover their is completed the students we’ll be ready for fingerprint bingo, fingerprints for the first time. Everyone knows they have easy level. I them, but the first time a student rolls a finger in a box on a 10 print card is magic. If you’ve ever taught forensics you There are several variations to the game and these are know what I’m talking about. And the thrill continues as more explained below. Calling diagrams have been provided for fingers get rolled. Then come the questions–What type is this? you on the following pages so you can keep track of what How many kinds do I have? How many are there? How many fingerprint type and what finger you’ve already called for of each do I have? Do you have the same amount? each game. Students will have classified their fingerprints as one of three types for the easy level. When it’s time to try Students quickly learn the three main types of fingerprints, the advanced version of the game students will relabel their and just as quickly learn there are variations of each type. fingerprints according to the eight subtypes, and gameplay They also figure out there’s no such thing as a quick glance at will be just like it was before. a fingerprint when it comes to accurately describing it. Then they begin to look at their classmates’ fingerprints and realize For each turn in a game you will call out a finger and a print some types are more common than others. type chosen at random (for example, ring finger loop) and mark it on your calling diagram. For the simplified version, To give my students practice scrutinizing and identifying keep track of what you called on a piece of paper. Everyone fingerprints I have a game called fingerprint bingo. This can playing will check to see if they have what you just called. be played in person or remotely. The first step is to make sure You keep calling until a student claims bingo. every student has a 10 print card and a #2 pencil. There’s a link on the next page for students to download a 10 print card Prizes can be anything from extra credit to something useful from the FBI they can print at home. If you have a classroom or tasty found at a dollar store. full of students you can make copies from the 10 print card in this article. Pencils can be found at the dollar store or by Variations are below: talking to your department head. Print Variation #1: The first step is to use the pencil to color in the left half of You only call print types. For example, loop, loop, arch, loop, the blank box at the left side the bottom of the 10 print card, whorl, and so on. The first person to get five types from their the part of the card labeled “LEFT FOUR FINGERS TAKEN 10 print card wins. SIMULTANEOUSLY.” The next step is to learn how to roll a finger for a print. The students can watch the video athttps:// Print Variation #2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvqegscgL-g, or they can watch You only call print types. For example, loop, loop, arch, loop, you at the front of the room demonstrating the procedure, or whorl, and so on. The first person to get eight types from their both. They will roll each finger in the graphite from the pencil 10 print card wins. they colored in the box with, and then lay down the print by rolling it in the box corresponding to each finger. The students Print Variation #3: will then examine each print and classify it as belonging to You call print types and fingers. For example, thumb arch, one of the three main types according to the boxes on the next middle loop, ring whorl, and so on. The first person to get page. Each fingerprint will be labeled with its type. When this three from their 10 print card wins. 40 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com This 10 print card is available for download at https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/standard-fingerprint-form- fd-258-1.pdf.

LEAVE BLANK TYPE OR PRINT ALL INFORMATION IN BLACK FBI LEAVE BLANK APPLICANT LAST NAME NAM FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME Fingerprint * See Privacy Act Notice on Back FD-258 (Rev. 5-15-17) 1110-0046 SIGNATURE OF PERSON FINGERPRINTED ALIASES AKA O R I RESIDENCE OF PERSON FINGERPRINTED DATE OF BIRTH DOB Month Day Year

CITIZENSHIP CTZ SEX RACE HGT. WGT. EYES HAIR PLACE OF BIRTH POB

DATE SIGNATURE OF OFFICIAL TAKING FINGERPRINTS Bingo YOUR NO. OCA LEAVE BLANK EMPLOYER AND ADDRESS UNIVERSAL CONTROL NO. UCN

CLASS ARMED FORCES NO. MNU

REASON FINGERPRINTED SOCIAL SECURITY NO. SOC REF.

MISCELLANEOUS NO. MNU

1. R. THUMB 2. R. INDEX 3. R. MIDDLE 4. R. RING 5. R. LITTLE

6. L. THUMB 7. L. INDEX 8. L. MIDDLE 9. L. RING 10. L. LITTLE SHADE PENCIL HERE

LEFT FOUR FINGERS TAKEN SIMULTANEOUSLY L. THUMB R. THUMB RIGHT FOUR FINGERS TAKEN SIMULTANEOUSLY

41 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Print Variation #4: You call print types and fingers. For example, thumb arch, When you call out a finger/print combination that matches middle loop, ring whorl, and so on. The first person to get five what a student has in a square, he or she can mark the square. from their 10 print card wins. Remember to mark down every finger/print combination on a calling diagram. Square Variations Each student draws a square on a separate piece of paper, Square Variation #1: and then two evenly spaced horizontal lines, and two evenly You only call print types. The first person to get three across, spaced vertical lines within the square, which will result in down, or diagonally wins. the original square with nine smaller squares inside it. These squares will be filled with initials corresponding to fingerprint Square Variation #2: types from the students’ 10 print cards in any order chosen by You call finger/print codes. The first person to get three the students. For example, suppose a player has the following across, down, or diagonally wins. on their 10 print card: Square Variation #3: Left hand: thumb arch/index loop/middle loop/ring loop/ little You only call print types. The first person to get all four whorl. Right hand: thumb loop/index whorl/middle loop/ring corners wins. whorl/little loop. Square Variation #4: He or she would have the following finger/print codes to place You call finger/print codes. The first person to get all four wherever they wanted in the nine squares: TA, IL, ML, RL, corners wins. LW, TL, IW, ML, RW, LL, plus one left over (figure 1). Advanced versions of these variations can be played after students relabel their 10 print cards according to the eight subtypes of fingerprints. TA IL ML

RL LW TL

IW ML RW

Figure 1. Example of a randomly filled 3x3 square based on a player’s fingerprints.

42 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Calling Diagram Calling Diagram Loop Whorl Arch Loop Whorl Arch

Thumb Thumb

Index Index

Middle Middle

Ring Ring

Little Little

Calling Diagram Calling Diagram Loop Whorl Arch Loop Whorl Arch

Thumb Thumb

Index Index

Middle Middle

Ring Ring

Little Little

Calling Diagram for Advanced Bingo Plain Arch Tented Arch Left Slant Right Slant Plain Whorl Double Loop Central Accidental Loop Loop Whorl Pocket Loop Whorl Whorl

43 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Basic Fingerprint Types

Fingerprint Sub-groups

Images couresy of the FBI. 44 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Click to begin

Case Studies Click here

45 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Explosions: science & scenarios Byby PerryPerry Michael Koussiafes Koussiafes

merica has known about explosives since the days of the Gold Rush, when reports began to find their way Fire: a rapid, persistent chemical reaction that into popular media. WWII brought explosives closer releases heat and light; especially, the exothermic toA home with newsreels of Pearl Harbor. And every American combination of a combustible substance with will always remember where they were on September 11, oxygen. 2001. Yet, thanks to Hollywood, everyone under the age of 65 has seen more explosions than they can recall on the silver Explosion: a sudden rapid release of mechanical, screen. And most people assume they know all about making chemical, or nuclear energy from a confined region; things blow up: Plug in the explosive, set the timer, and the especially, such a release that generates a radially magic bomb fairies will take care of the rest. But it’s not that propagating shock wave accompanied by a loud, simple. sharp report, flying debris, heat, light, and fire. In practical terms, fires and explosions are often associated with each other. Consider the case of a Molotov Cocktail. While it may be intended to spread a fire, it can also In addition to the release of heat and light as with a fire, explode if the conditions are conducive. Natural gas leaks can explosions move fast enough to release kinetic energy as explode and leave a fire in their wake. If one were to consider well. This kinetic energy is sometimes thought of as force. an explosion from a more technical perspective, an explosion Explosions usually release a combination of all three forms of can be thought of as a very fast fire. energy.

Introduction Explosives can be further broken down into subcategories:

Consider the following definitions: Low Explosive: • Reaction is faster than a fire, fast enough to

4654 The Forensic Teacher • SummerSpring 2011 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com generate a shock wave that can push objects. • Usually comprised of several molecules including at least one oxidizer and one fuel molecule. • Readily available to amateurs. • Usually investigated by state and local agencies in the US.

High Explosive: • Reaction is so fast that the energy it releases creates a shock wave moving faster than the speed of sound, so fast that it can shatter objects it meets. • Usually comprised of a single molecule that contains both fuel and oxidizer. • Usually only available to professionals. • Usually investigated by federal agencies in the US.

The way in which low and high explosives do their damage differs somewhat. Low explosives tend to push things over and knock things down. They are sometimes used as propellants, as in the case of gunpowder. High explosives tend to do their damage by generating a shock wave with a shattering force. From a practical standpoint however, both low explosives and high explosives can do significant damage. Another type of explosive not often considered is that associated with chemical reaction bombs. These might be classified as low explosives or they could be further hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. distinguished. One distinction is that they typically do not The generation of gas is similar in the magnesium employ combustion reactions thus they are sometimes reaction that occurs with Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) heaters. classified as destructive devices. In situations like this it is MRE heaters are often sold in military surplus stores. They best to refer to local statutes to best determine their legal are intended for use as individual meal heaters. They’re classification. Chemical reaction bombs are sometimes available for about $4 at cheaperthandirt.com. referred to as acid bombs or pop bottle bombs. While many are similar in nature to acid bombs, they do not necessarily Discussion incorporate strong acids. Chemical Reaction Bombs (CRB) What ties the chemistry of all these chemical reaction bombs together is that they are all exothermic oxidation The general reaction is: reactions resulting in the generation of an expanding gas. While the chemistry of these reactions is fairly Metal + water à metal hydroxide + hydrogen gas straightforward, the legal definitions of what is occurring may be subject to interpretation. In at least one state an explosive The corrosive nature of acids and bases allows the metal to requires the application of heat, flame, or shock. Heat is react fairly quickly. usually generated as a result of reactants being combined for the assembly of chemical reaction bombs. However, there is The general case with acid bombs is that the acid reacts no direct application of heat and thus the legal definition may with aluminum to generate hydrogen gas. Common sources of be argued against. acids include muriatic acid, sometimes sold in hardware stores as a cleaning agent, and sulfuric acid, an ingredient in some Another legal term in the same state is that of a destructive commercial drain solvents. device. It is defined as: Base bombs undergo a similar reaction, with water acting “any bomb, grenade, mine, rocket, missile, pipe bomb, as the acid. In this case any aluminum oxides and hydroxides or similar device containing an explosive, incendiary, formed would be dissolved by the presence of the strong base. or poison gas and includes any frangible container These reactions may be slow to start as the initially present filled with an explosive, incendiary, explosive gas, or aluminum oxides and hydroxides are drawn into solution. expanding gas, which is designed or so constructed as Perhaps the two most common strong bases are potassium 4755 www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com TheThe ForensicForensic TeacherTeacher •• SummerSpring 2011 2020 to explode by such filler and is capable of causing bodily reactions, thus the oxidation. While oxygen may be harm or property damage…” involved, do not confuse the term oxidation with the substance oxygen. Sifting through the language it appears a chemical reaction bomb is best and most accurately described by Low Explosives the legal definition of a destructive device. In many cases the generation of hydrogen gas could be described as both Legitimate uses of low explosives include propellants for an expanding and an explosive gas. An earlier version of firearms and fireworks. Their illegitimate use is essentially the this statute required that the chemical reaction be either an same, as a propellant in a pipe bomb or similar device. oxidation or an explosion. As seen in the reactions shown Let’s briefly look at the chemistry of an explosion. above, the aluminum is being oxidized, going from an Consider the fictional molecule ABCD. It starts out as a oxidation of 0 to and oxidation of +3. In the case of the relatively complex molecule with 4 atoms, A, B, C, and D. MRE heater, magnesium goes from an oxidation of 0 to +2. But once the chemical reaction occurs, it ends up in a much The container is often a two-liter plastic soft drink bottle. A device of this type is certainly designed to explode and while simpler state with some of the atoms separating, sometimes these devices are typically used to vandalize mailboxes and forming new smaller molecules, sometimes breaking out on garbage cans (property damage), I suspect they would result their own. The reaction also releases energy. in physical harm to anyone standing within arms length of one as it exploded. ABCD → AD + B + C + energy (heat + It is quite possible that one will not be asked to analyze light + force) any debris, as what happened may already be quite clear. reactants products However, one may be asked to explain the chemistry of what happened and relate this explanation to the relevant statutes. This is a simple example with only one reactant and only In addition to the definitions and explanations presented one step or reaction. Of course in the real world there may be earlier, the following definitions may prove useful: more than one reactant, and there are usually more products than reactants, and there is almost certainly more than one Exothermic: releases heat. reaction occurring. Often there will be a series of reactions. There are four common low explosives that one should Expanding Gas: a gas that expands as it is generated. be familiar with. These are black powder, pyrodex, flash It might be pointed out that most gases expand as powder, and smokeless powder. There is some overlap of they are generated. ingredients in the first three, while smokeless powder actually has ingredients that are also found in high explosives. Black Oxidation: change in oxidation of a compound powder, pyrodex, and smokeless powders and commonly during a chemical reaction. Metals, such as used by firearms enthusiasts and are readily available in aluminum, change from an oxidation of zero to an oxidation of +2 or +3 during these chemical

4856 The Forensic Teacher • SummerSpring 2011 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com to explode by such filler and is capable of causing bodily reactions, thus the oxidation. While oxygen may be harm or property damage…” involved, do not confuse the term oxidation with the substance oxygen. Sifting through the language it appears a chemical reaction bomb is best and most accurately described by Low Explosives the legal definition of a destructive device. In many cases the generation of hydrogen gas could be described as both Legitimate uses of low explosives include propellants for an expanding and an explosive gas. An earlier version of firearms and fireworks. Their illegitimate use is essentially the this statute required that the chemical reaction be either an same, as a propellant in a pipe bomb or similar device. oxidation or an explosion. As seen in the reactions shown Let’s briefly look at the chemistry of an explosion. above, the aluminum is being oxidized, going from an Consider the fictional molecule ABCD. It starts out as a oxidation of 0 to and oxidation of +3. In the case of the relatively complex molecule with 4 atoms, A, B, C, and D. MRE heater, magnesium goes from an oxidation of 0 to +2. But once the chemical reaction occurs, it ends up in a much The container is often a two-liter plastic soft drink bottle. A device of this type is certainly designed to explode and while simpler state with some of the atoms separating, sometimes these devices are typically used to vandalize mailboxes and forming new smaller molecules, sometimes breaking out on garbage cans (property damage), I suspect they would result their own. The reaction also releases energy. in physical harm to anyone standing within arms length of one as it exploded. ABCD → AD + B + C + energy (heat + It is quite possible that one will not be asked to analyze light + force) any debris, as what happened may already be quite clear. reactants products However, one may be asked to explain the chemistry of what happened and relate this explanation to the relevant statutes. This is a simple example with only one reactant and only In addition to the definitions and explanations presented one step or reaction. Of course in the real world there may be earlier, the following definitions may prove useful: more than one reactant, and there are usually more products than reactants, and there is almost certainly more than one Exothermic: releases heat. reaction occurring. Often there will be a series of reactions. There are four common low explosives that one should Expanding Gas: a gas that expands as it is generated. be familiar with. These are black powder, pyrodex, flash It might be pointed out that most gases expand as powder, and smokeless powder. There is some overlap of they are generated. stores catering to their needs. Flash powders are often sold chemical reaction bombs and low explosives. Many of ingredients in the first three, while smokeless powder actually as fireworks. A common way of obtaining flash powders is the same techniques may carry over into the analysis of has ingredients that are also found in high explosives. Black Oxidation: change in oxidation of a compound to simply empty fireworks of them. The powder may then be incendiaries and high temperature accelerants. Other types of powder, pyrodex, and smokeless powders and commonly used for other purposes. during a chemical reaction. Metals, such as used by firearms enthusiasts and are readily available in devices other than those shown undoubtedly exist and new aluminum, change from an oxidation of zero to Analysis ones are certain to be developed. an oxidation of +2 or +3 during these chemical The following approach may be employed in the analysis of Practical chemical reaction bombs and low explosives: Preface: The nature of the unknowns may make it desirable to 1. First, do an instrumental test to screen for a large dry lab this experiment, that is, use photographs of the debris number of compounds and to better impress the jury. and have the students write a report. Be sure they address the following issues: 2. Second, do a simple presumptive test to help confirm what is present. 1. What types of explosive are likely to be found and why? Color spot tests are simple, effective, and low cost 2. Types of analysis they would use and why. techniques that may be done for presumptive analysis. 3. What agencies, or level of agencies, would likely They may also be used for screening in the field. It helps handle the case and why? to have an idea of what one is looking for or a number of 4. What statutes are violated by the nature of the spot tests may have to be done. Other techniques, such as incident? polarized light microscopy, may also be employed. However, polarized light microscopy requires significantly more skill Welcome to the real world and initial cost than color spot tests. Ion chromatography, liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography are also well Add a touch of realism by announcing halfway through the suited to this type of analysis. You may have to improvise in class that a particular instrument is down and cannot be used. your classroom and/or have the students submit material for They will have to complete the assignment without use of this analysis that you will give back later after running through a instrument. fictional analysis. However, this section has been assembled to illustrate Alternatively, attach a cost for each analysis and a budget for some of the more common techniques for the analysis of 57 56 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 49 The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 the overall case. Let the students decide which tests will be done and which won’t. Scenario 2: Mailbox explosion. Distended plastic bottle with small pieces Scenarios of balled up aluminum foil (half inch diameter) found.

Scenario 1: Unknown 2: Distended plastic bottle. Two liter bottles are Explosion occurred at doorway of small business. Fragments most common but one liter bottles are sometimes seen. Add in collected from explosion scene. some balled-up aluminum foil. Discussion: Chemical reaction bombs (a.k.a. acid bombs, Unknown 1: pipe fragments. Obtain a section of pipe pop bottle bombs, etc.) are usually made by kids looking for (metal or PVC) and saw into pieces of various shapes. None a thrill. The first step is to do a pH check. Most CRBs will be should be smaller than one half inch across. Longer strips made with a strong base such as Draino, not an acid. Some are acceptable also. End caps with fragmented pipe may are made using MRE heaters and have a pH slightly above be included. Fragment pipe with a sledgehammer (make neutral, around 8. Point out the irony that in the residue from sure to wear eye protection) or by having it run over by a an MRE heater is magnesium hydroxide, an active ingredient heavy vehicle. An end cap with a hole drilled in it may be in some antacids. Maybe the military knew the MREs caused used but be aware this is illegal in some areas. Coat inside heartburn! curved portion with charcoal to simulate black colored powder. Photos of bomb fragments can be found by googling Scenario 3: pipe, bomb, fragment, and photo. Video of various types of Explosion in street during festival leaving large crater, 4 feet explosions can be found on YouTube. across and 2 feet deep at it’s deepest point. Fortunately, the Discussion: It is already known that an explosion area was cleared by alert security guard who reported seeing occurred. Now we must determine the likely explosive used an unattended backpack. No injuries reported except for and then who would use such an explosive. Because pipe ringing in ears. Portions of what is believed to be fabric from fragments with dark coloring are found the first logical step is the backpack recovered. Swabs taken of flat surfaces (signs, to look for black colored powders. This would include black walls, etc.) within 100 feet of explosion. Debris field exceeds powder, smokeless powder, and flash powders (fireworks). 100 feet. No metal fragments are found. What appears to be Pipe bombs are fairly low tech. This is a clue as to the the terminal end of a nine volt battery and small electronic perpetrator(s). timer are found.

5058 TheThe ForensicForensic TeacherTeacher •• SummerSpring 2011 2020 www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com the overall case. Let the students decide which tests will be Unknown 3: Gauze swabs. Be sure to include a control exercise their rights pursuant to part II of chapter done and which won’t. Scenario 2: (unused swab) for comparison purposes. This proves the 447. Mailbox explosion. Distended plastic bottle with small pieces gauze itself does not contain any chemicals that would cause a Scenarios of balled up aluminum foil (half inch diameter) found. false positive. Fabric swatches to represent backpack. (3) Any person who violates the provisions of this Discussion: It is already known that an explosion section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second Scenario 1: Unknown 2: Distended plastic bottle. Two liter bottles are occurred. Now we must determine the likely explosive used degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. Explosion occurred at doorway of small business. Fragments most common but one liter bottles are sometimes seen. Add in and then who would use such an explosive. Because a crater is 775.083. collected from explosion scene. some balled-up aluminum foil. found and not much explosive related debris, a high explosive Discussion: Chemical reaction bombs (a.k.a. acid bombs, is a possibility. This would include C4 and TNT. This is a clue Scenario 5: Unknown 1: pipe fragments. Obtain a section of pipe pop bottle bombs, etc.) are usually made by kids looking for as to the perpetrator(s). As with all explosives, the likelihood Cabin kitchen explosion. Charred debris found. Propane stove (metal or PVC) and saw into pieces of various shapes. None a thrill. The first step is to do a pH check. Most CRBs will be of finding unconsumed explosive residue is small. It is even in on position. should be smaller than one half inch across. Longer strips made with a strong base such as Draino, not an acid. Some less likely in the case of high explosives. are acceptable also. End caps with fragmented pipe may are made using MRE heaters and have a pH slightly above Unknown 2: Charred debris. be included. Fragment pipe with a sledgehammer (make neutral, around 8. Point out the irony that in the residue from Scenario 4: Discussion: Propane explosions sometimes happen. Debris sure to wear eye protection) or by having it run over by a an MRE heater is magnesium hydroxide, an active ingredient School hallway explosion. Distended plastic bottle with small should still be analyzed to help eliminate other possibilities heavy vehicle. An end cap with a hole drilled in it may be in some antacids. Maybe the military knew the MREs caused pieces of balled up aluminum foil (half inch diameter) found. (intentionally set fire, etc.). It may be a pilot light went out used but be aware this is illegal in some areas. Coat inside heartburn! allowing for a concentration of propane to build up, which curved portion with charcoal to simulate black colored Unknown 2: Distended plastic bottle. Two liter bottles are was then ignited by a random spark. It may be the pilot light powder. Photos of bomb fragments can be found by googling Scenario 3: most common but one liter bottles are sometimes seen. Add in was intentionally snuffed. Sometimes we can’t know for sure pipe, bomb, fragment, and photo. Video of various types of Explosion in street during festival leaving large crater, 4 feet some balled up aluminum foil. the intent. explosions can be found on YouTube. across and 2 feet deep at it’s deepest point. Fortunately, the Discussion: Chemical reaction bombs (a.k.a. acid bombs, Discussion: It is already known that an explosion area was cleared by alert security guard who reported seeing pop bottle bombs, etc.) are usually made by kids looking for occurred. Now we must determine the likely explosive used an unattended backpack. No injuries reported except for a thrill. The first step is to do a pH check. Most CRBs will be and then who would use such an explosive. Because pipe ringing in ears. Portions of what is believed to be fabric from made with a strong base such as Draino, not an acid. Some fragments with dark coloring are found the first logical step is the backpack recovered. Swabs taken of flat surfaces (signs, are made using MRE heaters and have a pH slightly above to look for black colored powders. This would include black walls, etc.) within 100 feet of explosion. Debris field exceeds neutral, around 8.0. powder, smokeless powder, and flash powders (fireworks). 100 feet. No metal fragments are found. What appears to be In this case the problem goes beyond a mere prank. Pipe bombs are fairly low tech. This is a clue as to the the terminal end of a nine volt battery and small electronic Disruption of an educational or religious facility is considered perpetrator(s). timer are found. more significant than destruction of a mailbox. Disruption in other public areas where large crowds might be expected is also significant as a stampede exit can result in serious injury. Have student locate relevant statutes.

The 2009 Florida Statutes (distribute your state statues to you class):

877.13 Educational institutions or school boards; penalty for disruption.--

(1) It is unlawful for any person:

(a) Knowingly to disrupt or interfere with the lawful administration or functions of any educational institution, school board, or activity on school board property in this state.

(d) To conspire to riot or to engage in any school campus or school function disruption or disturbance which interferes with the educational processes or with the orderly conduct of a school campus, school, or school board function or activity on school board property.

(2) This section shall apply to all educational institutions, school boards, and functions or activities on school board property; however, nothing herein shall deny public employees the opportunity to 58 5951 The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • SpringSummer 2011 2020 Guest Blog

By Amanda Burrili

s a special education teacher, I’ve taught many different subjects. One year I had an English class that loved mysteries and enjoyed acting out scenes from books and plays - so of course I had to create a murder mystery lesson for them to Aact out. It was a huge success and I’ve used it each year in my ELA classes until recently when I switched subjects from ELA to math and science. But I didn’t want to leave this engaging lesson behind, so I kept some of the ELA aspects and found ways to infuse forensics.

One of my favorite things about this lesson is watching the students walk around the room and take on their character roles as they interview each other. Unfortunately, that’s becoming more and more difficult to do given the COVID pandemic. In this post I’ll explain how to conduct this lesson virtually in case readers are still teaching online. If you are able to do the lesson in the classroom there are minor adaptations you can implement to switch from a virtual to a classroom setting.

Lesson Summary

I give students some sort of background scenario I’ve created to set the scene for the murder mystery. For this particular lesson a forensics class was on a field trip and stopped for lunch at a diner that serves all food in complete darkness. One of the students was killed and there were no witnesses since it was dark. After hearing the background, the students in your class take on the roles of students in the scenario. They interview each other for clues and use their forensic skills to figure out who the murderer is. The student who is guilty plays along to look innocent and does his/her best to act like they’re trying to find the killer as well.

52 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Prep Work

As much as the students take the lead once it begins, there is a lot of front-load prep involved. Your job involves the following:

• Write (or find) a mystery plot line. • Introduce the idea at least a few days in advance of the lesson. • Share with students how to create an effective notes sheet (see below) • Provide a map • Include lots of red herrings • Give lots of instructions • You want to make this an event - advertise it in advance to get the students excited about it. • You’ll also need to get a head count of who is coming. You can do an online poll, a Google Form, email invites - whatever works for you. I always create my mysteries knowing which characters to use depending on how many students I have. If I know I have 13 definitely showing up, I plan for 10-15 just in case.You can also plan for everyone but only give essential parts to those you know will show up. • Send out the background information and instructions sheet and hold a virtual meeting the day before to go over it. That information for the scenario I summarized above is further down in this article. If you want to try your hand at creating your own, go to https://engagingandeffective.com/host-classroom-murder-mystery/ for more info on instructions and background stories. • Create and send out character cards and the map 10-30 minutes before your mystery starts. See my sample card on the next page. Be available via email or Zoom to answer any student questions. If you send them out too early, students may start without you via text and other messaging devices. If you send them out right before you begin students don’t have enough time to thoroughly read through them. A template is at https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/14NHoaRNnVgMfGA833pL5j DuOF5BHlIwRN7PMidQpOvI/copy. • Notice the bullet points on the background information and instructions sheet: students need to know they must have access to their papers during the virtual meeting. Students can have the Google Slide on one side of their screen and the Zoom/virtual meeting open on the other half of their screen, or they can print out the forms. • Create all of your evidence samples and test results for students to analyze, if applicable.

Adding Forensic Clues

This will require some prep as well, but I know you’re up for the challenge. In order to add some actual evidence to this mystery, you’ll need to write it into the clues and figure out how students can access the evidence or the test results.

If possible, I suggest you take on the role of the quirky teacher who also happens to have a forensics kit on hand. In the character card above, Laura mentions a student has a red stain on his shirt. When this evidence comes up in the game (publicly on online forums, individually when students are in the classroom interviewing) you can do one of the following based on what works best for your class situation: provide the students with a sample you’ve created and have them test it or provide the students with test results and have them analyze it. In the online option you will do this for the whole class at the same time, for in-person mysteries you can wait until the students request the sample or test results.

Other ideas include staging clues with a murderer after your students have completed certain units. For instance, you might show online students a fingerprint you recovered from the knife.After the fingerprint unit you have a copy of their 10 print cards, and each of them has their own. Once you designate a student as the murderer it’s up to that student to evade displaying their prints to the rest of the class. Likewise, it’s possible to gradually reveal details of a hair or fiber you recovered from the victim’s place setting.

NOTE: I’ve only created one character card here as a model. You will need to create one card for each of your students. I have an entire post that goes into more detail on how to create murder mystery scenarios, character cards, and the map to go with it. You can check it out here (https://engagingandeffective.com/host-classroom-murder-mystery/) for more information on this part of the lesson.

Virtual Mystery Event

You don’t want to make it too rigid and structured, but you also can’t have students all shouting questions and answers at random. They’ll likely talk over one another and have trouble hearing each other. At least for the very beginning, consider having everyone muted except for one student asking the question and one student answering the question. I suggest creating 53 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 some sort of order (maybe alphabetically by character or student name) and have each student ask two questions. Go around at least once like this and then consider opening it up and letting the students steer the conversations. For the first questions I show students how I set up my notes sheet to model it for them. See example below. I include a worksheet when I’m in person with them, but I doubt many can print out worksheets right now. Handwritten is probably best because it helps reinforce that they can always create a quick chart on their own - no worksheet needed. You will need to add a column to include any forensics evidence as well.

For this lesson I set a time limit. Give them 45 minutes to an hour to ask their questions. They can have more time if needed to analyze evidence.

That’s a Wrap!

How you end it is up to you and what your goal is with the lesson. I suggest having a final assessment as a write-up from the students. Each student should submit a few paragraphs detailing the motive of the murderer (found during their interviews with other characters/classmates) and the evidence, or forensic analysis that supports their claim. If you’re just trying to have fun with the students while keeping it educational, you can have each student write the name of the murderer on a piece of paper and hold it up to the camera on the count of three at the end of the class and then give some time for students to discuss without any formal assessment submissions.

Amanda Burrili has been teaching special education in Pennsylvania and Maryland for the past nine years. Her favorite part of teaching is coming up with engaging lessons that involve getting students out of their seats and interacting with the material. If you have any questions about this lesson or just want to pick her teacher brain you can email her at [email protected]. 54 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Give Students Notes Sheets

All good detectives need to take notes. I give my students a very simple worksheet that asks for the character’s name, general information, possible motivation, and alibi/clues (see below). I have students hand it in at the end as part of their assessment for the lesson. It shows me if they were able to ask the right questions, get all of the clues, and make inferences. For example, since Anna is on crutches and at the other end of the table she couldn’t be the murderer since someone would have heard or felt her as she moved.

Give Lots of Instructions

As soon as you give out the character cards, the students will no longer be listening to much in the way of instructions. Prior to giving out character cards, set the expectations and rules up front. Here are some guidelines I provide based on what I’ve seen in the past.

1. Unless specifically paired together, no one should be working together. Everyone is a suspect! 2. Do not give your character paper to anyone else for any reason. Guard it carefully. 3. Take the first five minutes to study your character. Understand their motives, character traits, and personality. 4. Take lots of notes. Something seemingly unimportant could turn out to be crucial information later. 5. You cannot lie. 6. Create your own details as long as it makes sense with your character and the story line. 7. Do not reenact any scenes. 8. Do not touch other students. (it’s amazing how often I have to say this) 9. Go back and talk to people after you get new information about them. 55 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 A sample of one of my character cards I give to the students.

A sample map. 56 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Online Murder Mystery Background Information and Instructions

Student Murdered During High School Field Trip!

Background:

Earlier today, Mrs. Brown’s forensic class took a field trip to are innocent. IMPORTANT: You are not the murderer unless a museum and stopped at In the Dark Diner for lunch before your paper specifically says you are. returning to school. In the Dark Diner is known for serving all food in complete darkness. Why would a restaurant do this? To all the people who are NOT murderers: Hard to say, but it’s gimmicky and Mrs. Brown loves a good Your goal is to find out who killed Michelle and why. In order gimmicky restaurant. to do this, you will ask questions of all of the students in your class. Good questions to ask: A little after 1 PM, Mrs. Brown’s class finished their meals and Mrs. Brown called out for someone to bring the check. The busboy, Miles, replied, “I just bus the tables, but I’ll let • Where were you sitting? Who was next to you? your waiter, Simon, know. He’s in the next room.” There • How well did you know Michelle? were a few footsteps and then everyone heard a groan and a • Have you had any arguments with Michelle recently? collapse. There was general confusion in the room since no • Who do you think murdered Michelle? one could see and they didn’t realize what had happened. A • How do you feel about what happened to Michelle? minute later, Simon returned to the room and tripped over • Did you hear or see anything suspicious? something. Frustrated, he turned on the lights. Everyone saw that Simon had tripped over a student, Michelle Hollan, who These are just some initial suggestions; you’ll come up with was laying on the floor with a steak knife in her chest. your own as the game progresses.

Mrs. Brown gave a loud shriek and put her hand over her The Rules: mouth. Her students screamed, near panic, until the manager emerged from the kitchen and yelled for everyone to be quit You will be asked questions as well and you must tell the and not move. The authorities had just been called, but would truth to the best of your ability. You can elaborate on your be delayed about half an hour because a storm had knocked backstory and information, but it must still make sense down trees on the only road between the restaurant and town. with your character. You can’t ask anyone if they murdered All the studentes’ faces turned from concern for Michelle to Michelle; ask other questions to figure it out. You may not suspicion. Mrs. Brown and her students were the only people give or show your character paper to anyone else. in the room - which means one of her students is the murderer. You are all of Mrs. Brown’s students which means you all To the murderer: are suspects. This is actually a perfect group to investigate Your objective is to avoid being caught. However, you cannot the crime since you’re all studying forensics and your teacher lie! You don’t have to give up all your information, but you do just happens to have her forensics testing kit with her in the have to honestly answer all questions. Blend in with the others restaurant. What a teacher! If you need any testing completed by asking questions and doing your best to act as if you are you’ll need to see her. fully cooperating while trying to keep your secrets to yourself. Directions

Everyone will receive a sheet of paper or email detailing your character: where you were, how you know Michelle, and some general background information that may or may not be important. ONE of you is the murderer; everyone else is innocent. Unless your paper says, “You are the murderer,” you

57 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Cornflour TheBy the Nuffield Foundation Curriculum Programme Bombstaff & Brian Bollone by the Nuffield Foundation Curriculum Programme staff & Brian Bollone

n order for combustion to occur a minimum threshold of fuel, heat, and oxygen must occur. There are a Skipnumber to navigation of demonstrations a teacher can perform which test the minimum threshold of each variable. To illustrate the importance of having sufficient oxygen (surface to volume) necessary to produce combus- tionIPrint a Closespoon full of cornflour and a coffee can bomb are an easy and inexpensive demonstration to perform. In addition, this demonstration illustrates the conversion of the chemical energy stored in foodstuffs into heat and other forms of energy. experiments Obtain a spoon full of flour and subject its surface to an open flame from a candle for 5-10 seconds. Other than producing a burnt bread smell and a change in surface color, no open combustion will occur. Now, follow the directions below to introduce more oxygen into the equation. Compare the results to the burningThe attemptcornflour on the spoon, ‘bomb’and ask your students to explain why. Cornflour is sprayed into the flame of a candle burning inside a large tin can with the lid on. The resulting small explosion caused by rapid combustion of the cornflour blows the lid off the tin. The reaction dramatically illustrates the conversion of the chemical energy stored in foodsuffs into heat and other forms of energy. It can also be used to show the effect of surface area on the rate of chemical reaction.

Read our standard health & safety guidance

Lesson organisation

This is a brief demonstration, taking about 5 minutes – but of course may have to be repeated on demand!

Apparatus and chemicals

Safety screen Eye protection for teacher

Large coffee tin (500 g catering size) with metal lid (see notes 1 and 2) Glass funnel, small (2 – 3 cm diameter) Rubber bung (13 mm), one hole Candle, short piece, or nightlight Pipette filler, rubber bulb (about 50 – 100 cm3) type Rubber tubing, short lengths, to join pipette filler to funnel stem Wooden splint and matches to light candle

Cornflour, dry, a few grams required for each demonstration (see note 3)

Technical notes

1 The apparatus needs to be assembled as shown in the diagram below before the lesson. Make a neat hole in the side of the coffee tin, near the base, of suitable size to take the one-holed rubber bung. Insert the funnel into the hole in the bung so that the stem protrudes outwards from the narrow end of the bung. Fit the bung carrying the funnel into the hole from inside the can, so that it is pointing slightly upwards - see diagram. Connect the pipette filler bulb to the funnel stem using short a lengths of glass and rubber tubing. Place a short length of candle (or a nightlight) inside the coffee tin and stick it down with a little molten wax. 8458 The Forensic Teacher • SpringSummer 2011 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com 2 This apparatus can be improvised in a number of ways, but it is important that the resulting apparatus can blow a cloud of cornflour into the candle flame when the pipette filler is squeezed. An alternative arrangement is to place a small crucible inside the can, to contain the cornflour, and replace the funnel with a glass tube bent at right-angles, so that it's tip is directed downwards into the crucible. Some prior experimentation and adjustment may be needed to ensure the demonstration works well.

3 As an alternative to cornflour, other similar, oxidisable, fine powders can be used, eg custard powder, icing sugar or lycopodium powder (Note: lycopodium powder is a form of pollen, which may cause sensitisation or hay fever-like symptoms in susceptible individuals. If the demonstration works well, very little lycopdium powder should enter the air in the room). The powder usually needs to be dried in an oven at about 80oC.

Procedure

HEALTH & SAFETY: The experiment must be conducted behind firmly fixed safety screens close to the can, which protect both class and teacher. The class should be seated sufficiently far back from the demonstration to avoid any risk of being hit by the flying tin lid.

1 Place a few grams of cornflour in the funnel. This may be more easily done before finally putting the funnel in place inside the can, and connecting it to the pipette bulb.

2 Light the candle and quickly fit the tin lid. Quickly (before the candle goes out) give the pipette filler a rapid squeeze to blow the fine cornflour powder into the candle flame, keeping your head well back. The resulting rapid combustion of the finely-divided cornflour blows the lid off the tin.

Teaching notes

The demonstration can be set in context with stories about the explosion risks of powders such as sawdust from sanders, custard powder and flour in mills and coal dust explosions in mines. The latter can be contrasted with the difficulty often encountered in igniting large lumps of coal when lighting a fire.

The increase in surface area caused by fine sub-division can be illustrated with eight identical wooden cubes (eg Tillich’s bricks) built into a 2 x 2 x 2 cube. The surface area of this can be shown to be (2 x 2) x 6 sides 5985 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • SummerSpring 2011 2020 = 24 units. When the cube is broken into its eight constituent bricks, the total surface area is now (1 x 1) x 6 sides x 8 cubes = 48 units. Also, shading the outside of the 2 x 2 x 2 cube with chalk before breaking it up will show that more surface is exposed when the cube is broken up because each of the smaller cubes will have three shaded and three unshaded faces.

Cornflour (a carbohydrate) burns rapidly because of its high total surface area to volume ratio, which allows oxygen in the air to come into to contact with the fuel easily. This demonstration is a good illustration of energy changes in chemical reactions, and that some compounds have a lot of energy ‘locked up’ in them. Students can be asked to identify the types of energy involved as the lid flies off - heat, light, sound, kinetic and potential (the lid at the top of its trajectory). The idea of activation energy could be introduced to a suitable class.

Health & Safety checked, April 2008

Web Links

WARNING: There are many video-clips placed by adults and youngsters on websites such as You-Tube and MySpace which demonstrate such powder explosions, including some from school laboratories. In many of these, safety was clearly not a prime consideration for those performing the experiments. These should not be shown in school in case they serve to encourage very hazardous experimentation by youngsters, possibly culminating in injury or worse.

A useful video clip of a full-scale coal-dust explosion can be viewed at:

http://www.cdc.gov/Niosh/mining/products/product98.htm

This shows dramatically how powerful and dangerous such explosions can be.

Before(Website carrying accessed out June any 2008)practical activity, teachers should always check that what they are proposing is compatible with their employer’s risk assessments and does not need modification for their particularUpdated 29 Octcircumstances. 2008 Any local rules issued by the employer must always be followed, whatever is recommended here.

Average rating: 4 out of 5 Your reviews

It is so good!

Submitted by: Shreyansh upadhyaya on 8 June 2009

This seems like it would work and I look forward to trying it.

Submitted by: W00T W00T on 12 June 2009

Youngsters?!? Most of us idiots don't fit that description. Reprinted with permission from practicalchemistry.org (c) The Nuffield Foundation and Royal Society And a long plastic tube will allow you to keep yourof Chemistry distance. 2011. 6086 87 SubmittedTheThe ForensicForensic by: ME TeacherTeacheron 26 May •• 2010SummerSpring 2011 2020 www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Spring 2011 8761 www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.comwww.theforensicteacher.com TheThe Forensic Forensic Teacher Teacher • • Spring Summer 2011 2020 Suddenly

On-LineSurviving the Shift to Online Teaching By Enrico Pelazzo

already had strong relationships and rapport with students in March they were more likely to buy in to what I was asking them to do.”

Effectively transferring curriculum to an online environment and building relationships with new students is going to require skills and strategies many teachers have never been exposed to. Unfortunately, some districts will issue vague guidelines and expect teachers to figure it out on their own. t’s a whole new world. “One day we were in the But even if district-guided online instruction is carefully classroom, where I often wished we could develop choreographed with the best intent and latest technology, Imore on-line support for the curriculum, the next day every teacher saddled with a lab portion to their course is at we were teaching from home wishing we could be face to a disadvantage from day one. There’s no at-home substitute face. Be careful what you wish for.” This comment came for ninhydrin, microscopes, or staged crime scenes. Plus, from Dane Holland who teaches in Wilmington, Delaware. neither you nor your students get the social benefits of Three quarters of the 2019 – 2020 school year were in the working closely, and growing closer with each other every traditional classroom setting, but American teachers and class period. No, Dorothy, you ain’t in Kansas anymore. This students suddenly had to grapple with a whole new world of will be a whole new ball game with a whole new set of rules. instruction when COVID-19 forced everybody online. Ignore it at your peril.

He added, “The most impactful element that made a rapid The sooner you accept, buy into, and adapt your curriculums on-line transition successful, at least in our school’s case, is to the crappy, stupid, new model of education COVID-19 that we already knew the kids. We had been together, we has forced us into, the better your classes and your students’ knew personalities and we had trust. The simple conclusion I experiences will be. No, it’s not going to be easy, and it’s not draw has to do with trust. Our students trusted our intent, and going to be fair, but it is going to happen. The only possible we trusted theirs. Online instruction is challenging enough, silver lining to all this is the inevitable sharing that will come knowing your students remains a cornerstone to success in from teachers who figure out ways to be successful. As more any environment.” and more educators learn how to develop relationships with remote students these practices will spread throughout the Rachel Perez of Fayetteville, North Carolina said, “ I agree teaching community like the virus that put us here in the most about the relationships. It’s so hard to establish those first place. Some of those tips and strategies will come from online. It was hard to maintain them with students I’d spent coworkers, and some will come in the form of the obligatory months getting to know. Building a good classroom culture professional development sessions every teacher dreads. online seems nearly impossible to me.” Wendy Caluwe However it happens we’ll figure it out. Davis who teaches in East Syracuse, New York has similar concerns. “If we start the new school year online or go online Below you will find a number of helpful resources. Elsewhere really early in the year it will be harder to build the trust and in this issue is an article packed with online forensic activities. relationships with students that is really important. Having Together they will give you a foundation for success. The rest is up to you. 62 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com NOTE: At press time all of the links on this page worked 6 Tips for Promoting K-12 Student Accountability During perfectly. If you receive a 404 error (page not found) error, Distance Learning please cut and paste the URL into a different browser. If the https://www.powerschool.com/resources/blog/6-tips-for- problem persists, cut and paste the title into a Google search. promoting-k-12-student-accountability-during-distance- The Difference Between Emergency Remote Teaching and learning/ Online Learning https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference- Adapting Science Lessons for Distance Learning between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning https://www.edutopia.org/article/adapting-science-lessons- distance-learning The Ultimate Guide To Online Teaching (registration required) How to Improve Distance Learning for Students With IEPs https://tophat.com/teaching-resources/ebooks-and- https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-improve-distance- guides/the-ultimate-guide-to-online-teaching/ learning-students-ieps

Free Micro Course: Building Relationships in Online How to Make Effective Videos for Learning Learning (registration required) https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=63&v=8Swz https://blog.advancementcourses.com/free-courses-3-pd- hq9Pnr0&feature=emb_logo hours/building-relationships-online-learning/ Distance Learning FAQ: Solving Teachers’ and Students’ How to Effectively Shift to Online Teaching: The Ultimate Common Problems Guide (registration required) https://www.nccat.org/blog/edutopia-distance-learning-faq- https://www.techsmith.com/blog/shift-to-online-teaching/ solving-teachers%E2%80%99-and-students%E2%80%99- common-problems Building Relationships And Increasing Engagement In The Virtual Classroom: Practical Tools For The Online Lessons Learned During the Pandemic Instructor https://www.edutopia.org/article/lessons-learned-during- https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1204379.pdf pandemic

Relationships: More important now than ever before. The Human Element in Online Learning https://www.ct3education.com/2020/03/25/building- https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2020/03/18/how- relationships/ make-online-learning-more-intimate-and-engaging-students- opinion Mission “Impossible”: Building Relationships with Online Students https://evolllution.com/revenue-streams/distance_online_ Zoom burnout learning/mission-impossible-building-relationships-with- online-students/ ‘Zoom fatigue’ is taxing the brain. Here’s why that happens. Building Relationships with Online Students https://www.healthnutnews.com/zoom-fatigue-is-taxing-the- https://nobaproject.com/blog/2018-03-26-building- brain-heres-why-that-happens/ relationships-with-online-students How to Combat Zoom Fatigue Five Ways to Build Community in Online Classrooms https://hbr.org/2020/04/how-to-combat-zoom-fatigue https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/five- ways-to-build-community-in-online-classrooms/

How to build an engaged online learning community https://www.getsmarter.com/blog/research-hub/how-to-build- an-engaged-online-learning-community/

Fostering a Strong Community in a Virtual Classroom https://www.edutopia.org/article/fostering-strong-community- virtual-classroom

7 Ways to Maintain Relationships During Your School Closure https://child360.org/educator-info-7-ways-to-maintain- relationships-during-your-school-closure/ 63 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 ONLINE forensic

Activities By Jeanette Hencken eaching forensics online is a challenge in the best of Have the students search this scene and identify 6 pieces of times. You know resources are out there somewhere, evidence you see (when you click on them more information Tbut tracking them down and vetting them takes will pop open) at the “Place of Entry,” “Place of Struggle,” time. While this list is in no way comprehensive, I hope It will or “Place of Murder” that should be collected. Require the be of some help help. students to explain how to collect, label, and seal each piece of evidence and what steps should be taken to maintain the Virtually tour a crime lab chain of custody. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6urbx8-7qlM OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvpcWGWE4qU A simulation of effects of drug use (Flash required) Have students answer the following questions from information https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/mouse/ on one or both tours: Where applicable, this presentation primarily depicts how 1. List six sections of the lab or types of criminalists drugs interact with dopamine neurotransmitters because this described in the tour. website focuses on the brain’s reward pathway. Mouse Party 2. Describe three types of evidence and how they are is designed to provide a small glimpse into the chemical examined or tested in two sections on the tour. interactions at the synaptic level that cause the drug user to 3. List 4 types of equipment used in the lab and describe feel high. their use. 4. List 3 types of databases and their application Blackett Family DNA Activity Part 1 discussed during the tour http://www.biology.arizona.edu/human_bio/activities/blackett/ introduction.html Crime scene investigation and evidence collection. (Flash Welcome to the Blackett Family DNA Activity. Bob Blackett required) is a DNA analyst. As part of his training, he made a DNA https://www.centredessciencesdemontreal.com/jeux- profile of his own family using a technique called RFLP experiences/autopsy/autopsy/flash.htm analysis. Family studies are a good way to learn about DNA Ask your students to take notes as they go through the profiling and RFLP analysis because you can follow the website. You should decide how much time you want them inheritance of DNA. to spend on this activity. You could create five groups in the class and assign each group of students a single type of Blackett Family DNA Activity Part 2 evidence. For each type they will need to learn about and http://www.biology.arizona.edu/human_bio/activities/ record the steps needed to collect each piece of evidence, blackett2/overview.html and the various types of examinations their piece of evidence Blackett Family DNA Activity 2 Overview. DNA Analyst Bob could undergo. By dividing the job up the activity could take Blackett has graciously provided The Biology Project with from 30-40 minutes. If you have each group evaluate all five sample data from his own work. In this activity, you will learn pieces of evidence this could take 3-4 50 minute class periods. the concepts and techniques behind DNA profiling of the 13 core CODIS “Short Tandem Repeat” loci used for the national Online Crime Scene Activity DNA databank. http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/expositions- exhibitions/detective-investigator/en/game/index.php Create a DNA fingerprint (Flash required) https://whyy.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci.life. gen.creatednafingerprint/create-a-dna-fingerprint/support- materials/ 64 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Although aimed at grades 6 – 8, this interactive website will Visible Body Courseware was created by instructors for give anyone not familiar with DNA fingerprinting the basics instructors. Instructors use VB Courseware to deliver course behind the technique and the science. Support materials are assignments and assign quizzes, manage grades, transform available for download and the exercise begins with a handy lecture presentations to include 3D models and animations, Launch button. and expand and enhance anatomy lab dissections.

FirearmsID website challenge Virtual autopsy http://www.firearmsid.com/members/login.htm https://www.le.ac.uk/pathology/teach/va/howto.html Once you have a login you can access the Virtual Comparison Microscope™. The VCM simulates the examination of Blood typing game bullets and cartridge cases with a comparison microscope. https://educationalgames.nobelprize.org/educational/ The site includes exercises for which the activity increases in medicine/bloodtypinggame/ difficulty level. You are required to register for the Resources section of this website. Five minute mysteries (timed) https://www.5minutemystery.com/ (registration required) Online training modules for fire investigation https://www.interfire.org/trainingcenter.asp This interactive training module will assist you in Remote testing is possible using the following, all of which understanding how the Accelerant Detection Canine Unit is will let you randomize the order of the questions: trained, and when and how they work a scene. Use virtual reality from the interFIRE VR scene to teach fire prevention • Quizizz in this custom course designed for your presentations. • Moodle • Testmoz Fire investigation experiments • Google forms • Formative https://fireinvestigation.ulfirefightersafety.org/ • Castle Learning Visitors to this site will be able to carry out customizable, full-scale experiments to study the impact on ventilation on The following are not online activities, but they are fire patterns in a variety of settings, which is crucial for fire relevant to the coronavirus and students can download investigators to identify a fire’s origin. them, work on them at home, and present the results when you meet online. Full-scale experiments to study the impact of ventilation on fire patterns Epidemiologists: Disease Detectives activity https://fireinvestigation.ulfirefightersafety.org/ https://whyy.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/envh10.health. lp912/epidemiologists-disease-detectives/ Calculate your blood alcohol content https://www.responsibility.org/drink-responsibly/bac- Field Epidemiology: Investigation of an Unknown Disease calculator/ student activity This blood alcohol content (BAC) calculator, AKA the https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/edumedia/edufiles/ “Virtual Bar”, utilizes the latest science to help you get a education_training/programs/stars/field-epidemiology.pdf better understanding of how different factors affect your BAC depending on your gender, weight, the food you eat, and what and how you drink throughout the night, as well as other important variables.It also gives you a sense of how long it would take for your BAC to return to 0.0

Tales From The Poisoner’s Handbook Visitors to this website can explore four different types of poisons and their mechanisms of action at their own pace as history and science are combined through self-paced comic books. https://demo.wgbhdigital.org/poisonershandbook/home.html

Virtual anatomy lab https://crc.losrios.edu/academics/biology/virtual-anatomy-lab

Free visible body course materials https://www.visiblebody.com/teaching-anatomy/courseware

65 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Answer Page Photo Crime Mini-Mystery Answer Solutions The River War Robbery (from page 4) The Dead Man’s Tale (from page 23) The dinner celebrating Churchill’s birthday on the night of the theft would have been on or around Mrs. Hamilton and her brother-in-law were passionate people, but certainly not murderers by nature. They acted November 30. The weather a few days later, when on impulse, leaving a scene covered with clues. First Stanwick and Ryan were chatting, was “unusually of all, if Mrs. Hamilton had cut the rope herself, as she mild” for December (but still required the use of a attested, the knife would have only frayed the rope until jacket). the last few strands snapped, due to the weight of the For obvious climatic reasons, no tomato festival body. The rope couldn’t have broken so evenly (see pics. 1 and 3). Secondly, a dead body cannot bruise. Hamilton would be held in Wisconsin in December. Stanwick got that bruise before he died. Finally, his dusty suit, therefore knew that Grecco’s alibi was a lie. the scratches on the heels of his shoes, and the tracks in the dust near the door showed what really happened. Hamilton had been stunned - or perhaps killed - by a blow on the head, dragged along the floor on his back, and hanged in the attic. The clean-cut rope revealed that someone had held up the body when the rope was cut. Neither Mrs. Hamilton nor her brother-in-law could have carried out this gruesome task alone. That meant they were in it together.

Click for A Simplified Guide to Forensic Science

66 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The

Mini-Mystery Answer ForensicTeacher Magazine

Free Issue Free Subscription Just sign up. Period.

Do your students kick Do you have butt? a lab your Are they independent students love? thinkers? Want to get paid for Ask them to write about it. sharing it? We’ll showcase their talent Email us, tell and even pay them. us about it!

admin@ [email protected] theforensicteacher.com

67 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 What’s Going On?

Ask the Online (and otherwise) forensic education opportunities Morgue Guy http://projects.nfstc.org/ Free. A variety of subjects sponsored by the National Forensic Science Technology Center who works closely with the Q. Since our school switched to National Institute of Justice and others. online learning, lessons have been via zoom, which is no picnic. http://www.nij.gov/training/Pages/forensics.aspx No Fee for many. Sometimes the same kid who can Sponsored by the National Institute of Justice this site features courses cause a disruption in the classroom can cause a disruption on zoom. I’ll both online and in a classroom. share some examples. I work hard to keep my lessons http://forensicscience.ufl.edu/ Online degree programs in forensic engaging so students won’t feel science form the University of Florida. the need or the temptation to use their phones during class, which is against school rules. When my class https://www.ashworthcollege.edu/career-diplomas/forensic-science- is on zoom sometimes I can’t see training/ An online certificate program from Ashworth College. much more than a student’s face. Sometimes if I take a hard look at a http://www.amu.apus.edu/lp2/forensics/undergraduate-certificate.htm/ pair of students who I know are very An online certificate program from the American Military University. close and chatty I can see their eyes looking at something offscreen for Some family military affiliation may be required. several seconds, and they take turns at it. They’re texting. Technically, I http://www.bestvalueschools.com/cheap/online/forensic-science- have no proof and there’s nothing degree-programs-bachelors/ If you’re serious about getting an online I can do, but it still bugs me to forensics degree this site breaks down five institutions by cost. know they’re not giving me their full attention. Another stunt, one that only http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/degrees/criminal-justice/ surfaced during the last week of forensic-science A guide to a number of online forensic science degrees school, is the kid who decides to with reviews, information about each, and tuition costs. Of course, it check out, so he will freeze and may be possible to take courses without finishing a degree for targeted, mute his microphone until I or a classmate notice and ask about his personal development. connection. Then he will shut off his camera or disconnect. Once, twice? https://www.forensicscienceeducation.org/forensic-education/courses- That’s the Internet. Once, twice a and-workshops/. The Center For Forensic Science Research & Education week? That’s him playing me. has a rolling schedule of both online and in-person courses. What are my options? I can’t wait to get back to my classroom. https://webdata.aafs.org/public/Meetings/Listings.aspx. American A. All group video chat applications Academy of Forensic Sciences Meetings Listings. Many of these allow you to record the entire meetings are open to educators. session. If we end up back online in the fall put something about the behaviors you mentioned in the https://www.forensiced.org/index.cfm. Offers online forensic education syllabus you send home for parents and training. to sign and return. Then record every class and share relevant clips with school administrators and parents. Your tech people will show you how.

68 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com What’s Going On?

Just http://www.henryleeinstitute.com/. The Henry C. Lee Institute Of Forensic Science offers training at their location. Check back as new courses are always for Fun being added. Unlock Someone’s Phone Fingerprints are a favorite topic for https://sites.uco.edu/forensics/z%20HS%20Teacher%20FSI%20training%20 students for a number of reasons. and%20Curriculum/index.asp. University of Central Oklahoma Forensic Science For some it’s the thrill of being able Institute offers forensic training to middle and high school teachers during the to visualize previously invisible evidence, for others it’s seeing the summer. uniqueness of the trace they leave behind with every touch. Whatever the reason fingerprints are usually hit because they are so hands-on http://www.gannon.edu/Academic-Offerings/Humanities-Education-and- (pun intended). Social-Sciences/Graduate/Criminalistics/. An outstanding online Master’s All iPhones and some android degree program in criminalistics with a focus on forensics taught by faculty phones can be unlocked via the who are retired FBI, ATF, and recognized forensics experts. owner’s thumb or fingerprint. Until recently this method was considered secure because of the uniqueness of fingerprints. However, enough anecdotal evidence has surfaced recently to bring into question the Do you or your organization have a workshop, seminar, conference, resolution of the print scanner, training opportunity, or announcement you’d like to share and have especially with similar prints. included free? Please email us at [email protected] and tell us about it! On one hand, students may be reluctant to see if a classmate can sidestep the security of a fingerprint scan on their iPhone, especially if a classmate demonstrates this type of breach is possible. On the other, the novelty of the attempt coupled with the cavalier attitude many adolescents go through life with might just spur enough curiosity to get the activity off the ground. Most students, especially if they’re right-handed, will use the print from their right thumb. After students have rolled their fingerprints and filled a 10 point card, anyone interested this activity should start comparing their right thumb prints to the prints on classmates’ cards. Likewise for anyone who uses another digit. Variations are to be expected, especially among similar types of prints, but eventually a fingerprint will be found that closely mimics the one used as a key. The only thing left is to try unlocking the old phone with the new finger. 69 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 Stoopid

. Crooks The police just dream about geniuses like these guys... Efren Mencia-Ramirez, 49, of Spartanburg, SC, blew past a police car on Interstate 85 and swerved erratically into another lane. The deputies pulled him over and as they approached they noted a strong smell of alcohol. Ramirez, apparently thinking he would outsmart the Breathalyzer, sprayed Axe body spray into his mouth. Confident he would be declared sober, Ramirez was more than willing to exit the car and perform a field sobriety test. Which he failed. Also, not helping his case, was the 12 pack of beer found on the floor of his vehicle, 10 of which where empty, plus the open one between his legs in the driver’s seat as the deputies reached the car. When Ian Simmons and Joshua Reinhardt, both 34, decided to drive at 95 miles per hour on interstate 10 in Santa Rosa County, FL, they had to know they were going to attract attention. Sure enough, the Florida Highway Patrol took notice and they were pulled over. After examining their identification the trooper learned Reinhardt had an active warrant and called for backup, who brought a K-9 drug sniffing dog. The dog immediately detected controlled substances which totaled 75 grams of methamphetamine, 1.36 kilograms of the date-rape drug GHB, 1 gram of cocaine, 3.6 grams of fentanyl, 15 MDMA tablets. However, the dog was redundant because the drugs were in the backseat in a sack labeled “Bag Full Of Drugs.” Fear of coming down with the coronavirus has sparked some to take matters into their own hands in the interest of staying safe. Harvey Taratoot, 75, was in the post office in Alpharetta, GA, and on his way out when a 67-year-old grandmother and her 18-year-old granddaughter entered the lobby wearing face masks and gloves. Taratoot, fearful of germs, pulled a gun on the pair and threatened violence if they came near him. After they moved to the side he apologized and warned them about touching the door. Grandma took a picture of his license plate and police arrested Content of the next issue is subject to change without notice, sorry him at his home the short while later. Zavier Permenter, 42, and Steven Cyriacks, 32, both of which have been in and out of jail most of their lives, recently decided to capitalize on the coronavirus. They entered a Coconut Creek, FL, CVS and helped themselves to two cases of Careers Corona beer and, when employees tried to stop them from leaving without paying, confronted store workers and claimed they had the coronavirus. Following threats of spitting and contagion the man fled to their vehicle, a van they had stolen the day before. Employees called 911 and the cops quickly located the vehicle and took the men into custody. Police in Indian Rocks Beach, FL, received a report of a man harassing and screaming at tourists on the boardwalk on the beach of the town near St. Petersburg. When they arrived they found James Ransom, 54, doing his thing while holding open containers of beer and rum. Ransom gave them a false name, which is against the law, and eventually consented to a fingerprint scan. The computer not only returned his true name, but also a rap sheet with dozens of arrests. He was arrested for disorderly intoxication and providing a false name to law-enforcement. The name he gave police? Michael Corleone. Although technically not a tale about a stupid criminal, this incident deserves mention. Authorities were called the apartment of Aalaya Walker, 18, in Tampa, FL, after she was injured in the leg and chest by shrapnel from a .45 caliber bullet while trying to make waffles. Her boyfriend, Javarski Sandy, 25, who legally owns a Glock semiautomatic pistol, normally keeps his gun in a drawer in the bedroom. For some unexplained reason on that day he decided to put the pistol’s magazine in the warmer drawer that normally holds pots and pans below the oven. Walker preheated the oven and was making breakfast on top when the magazine melted

Next Issue: and a round went off. Although no charges were filed it begs the question: who’s stupider, him for putting the magazine in a hot kitchen appliance, or her choice in a boyfriend?

70 The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com Teaching Forensic Science Online? Here are two solutions Online 3D Crime Scenes Based on Historic Cases

Diablo Highway is the Murder at Old Fields, the first case second lab activity in the in the Case History forensic science Case History forensic series, is an exciting Forensic science series. based on Science Lab Activity for middle the double-murder of and high school students. Based Hazel Frome and her on the 1842 double-murder of daughter Nancy in Alexander and Rebecca March 1938 on a Smith at their farmhouse desert road in Southwest in Old Fields, Long Texas. Diablo Highway is problem- Island, students based learning that supports the three- examine evidence and dimensions of learning outlined in the Next Generation conduct labs based on the Science Standards. historical facts of this case.

LearnEngines.coLearnEngines.co Learn More DiabloHighway.comDiabloHighway.com MurderAtOldFields.com MurderAtOldFields.com71 www.theforensicteacher.com www.theforensicteacher.com The Forensic Teacher • Summer 2020