CIP Code:   40.0502  
  
	METROPOLITAN STATE COLLEGE OF DENVER 
	Office of Academic Affairs 
 
	REGULAR COURSE SYLLABUS 
 
SCHOOL:   Letters, Arts & Sciences 
DEPARTMENT:  Chemistry  
SEMESTER(S) OFFERED:   Fall  
PREFIX & COURSE NUMBER:   CHE 370  
COURSE TITLE:   Criminalistics I 
CREDIT HOURS:   4   ( 3 + 3 ) 
CONTACT HOURS:  Lecture  45 	Lab  45 	Internship      	Practicum       
RESTRICTIONS (VARIABLE TOPICS COURSES):   None 
PREREQUISITE(S):   CHE 311 
COREQUISITE(S):   None 
CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION: 
 
This course introduces the theory and practice of physical evidence analysis.  Topics covered  
include firearms, fingerprints, hairs and fibers, numbers restoration, shoeprints, arson and  
paints. 
 
REQUIRED READING MATERIALS  (Title, Author, Publisher, Copyright Date): 
 
Criminalistics:  An Introduction to Forensic Science, 4th Edition, Saferstein, R., Prentice-Hall,  
1990. 
 
 
SPECIFIC (MEASURABLE) STUDENT BEHAVIORAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 
 
Upon completion of this course the student should be able to: 
 
1.	Know the roles of the criminalist and the laboratory in the science of law enforcement. 
2.	Lift latent fingerprints and compare them to samples of known prints. 
3.	Compare bullets recovered from discharged firearms utilizing the comparison microscope. 
4.	Lift a shoeprint from soil by preparing a plaster cast an comparing it with an inked  
shoeprint. 
5.	Restore an obliterated serial number from metal. 
6.	Apply the techniques of analysis of glass to real samples. 
7.	Know the principles of analysis of polygraph. 
8.	Know the techniques that make one an effective expert witness in court. 
 
OUTLINE OF COURSE CONTENT (Major Topics and Subtopics): 
 
1.	Introduction to Criminalistics 
	a.	role of the criminalist 
	b.	physical evidence recognition, collection preservation 
	c.	crime scene investigation theory hands-on experience 
2.	Forensic Photography 
	a.	cameras, lenses, film 
	b.	photographic procedures and techniques 
	c.	darkroom experience 
3.	Drug Analysis 
	a.	instrumental methods and procedures 
	b.	typing drugs 
	c.	hands-on experience 
	-screening of street samples 
	-complete analysis of unknown samples 
4.	Firearms Identification 
	a.	basic principles and procedures 
	b.	toolmark, number restoration, and distance determinations 
	c.	hands-on laboratory experience 
		-bullet comparison 
		-chemical procedures for distance determination 
5.	Glass Analysis 
	a.	basic principles and procedures 
	b.	hands-on lab experience 
		-density comparison 
		-refractive index comparison 
6.	Polygraph 
	a.	basic principles and procedures 
	b.	participation in an actual polygraph or viewing of videotape of a police polygraph exam 
7.	Fingerprint analysis 
	a.	basic principles of fingerprint identification 
	b.	visualization of latent prints 
	c.	hands-on experience, dusting objects for prints, obtaining prints from paper. 
 
EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE: 
 
Students will be given periodic special projects.  A final exam one hundred minutes long will  
terminate the course.  The final grade determination will be based on the students  
performance on the special projects, final exam, the instructors evaluation, and the  
performance in the laboratory if applicable. 
 
Revised 9/94:	Academic Affairs-Curriculum-Regular Course Syllabus 
					(s:\wpform\acadaff\currculm\regsyl.wp)