CBC 811 Forensic Science

Roderick Bates (roderick@ntu.edu.sg)

(Room 25 on level 2 in N4.1)

We have all seen forensic scientists in TV shows, but how do they really
work? What is the science behind their work?

The course aims to explain the scientific principles and techniques behind
the work of forensic scientists and will be illustrated with numerous case
studies from Singapore and around the world. The course will be enriched by
lectures from real forensic scientists and by demonstrations.

Some topics to be included are:

1. How did forensics come about? What is the role of forensics in policework?
Can these methods be used in non-criminal areas?
2. Blood. What is it? How can traces of blood be found and used in evidence?
3. Is DNA chemistry really so powerful?
4. What happens (biologically and chemically) if someone tries to poison me?
What happens if I try to poison myself?
5. How can we tell how long someone has been dead? What if they have been
dead for a really long time…..
6. Can a little piece of a carpet or a single hair convict someone?
7. Was the (ex-)Emperor Napoleon murdered by the peridious British, or
killed by his wallpaper?

The course will be held on Wednesdays, 1.30-4.30 (with a break!) in Nanyang

Auditorium.

The recommended textbook is “Criminalistics” by Richard Saferstein

(Pearson, 8th Ed, 2004). Other interesting books are “Henry Lee’s Crime
Scene Handbook” by H.C.Lee, T.Palmbach and M.T.Miller (Academic Press) ,
“Crime Scene to Court” by P.C.White (Ed) (Royal Society of Chemistry 2nd Ed)
and “The Illustrated Guide to Forensics” by Zakaria Erzinclioglu (Carlton
Books, 2004).
The exam will be a combination of multiple choice questions and short answer
questions. The exam is not available through the library, but previous exam
questions will be employed in the online quiz and the exam advice session.

Continuous Assessment (mid-term plus online quiz) 20%

Final Exam 80%