2008 Woodie Awards
Forensic Institute for Research and Education holds 2nd CSI program
Tiffany Gibson
Issue date: 6/18/08 Section: News
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The program consisted of a staged crime scene set up for students to obtain evidence and think critically.
The Forensic Institute for Research and Education and MTSU's College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning cosponsored the program.
"It's great for critical thinking," said Hugh Berryman, MTSU sociology and anthropology professor. "In order for a student to solve these crimes they have to think critically and analyze situations in order to realize what's most important and what's least important."
Each day, students learned different tactics and techniques in order to solve a case. They were challenged and encouraged to ask questions, but if they failed to do so, they didn't receive vital pieces of evidence.
The program was spread out over a three-day period and lasted from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Tuition for the program was $195 and included meals and "CSI: MTSU" t-shirts.
On the first day, students were put into groups of five and taken one group at a time to visit the crime scene, which was set up in Beasley Hall.
Throughout the room in Beasley, blood was splattered on the floor and through the hallway.
Berryman said he did this so they could take into account the evidence and interpretations that can be obtained from blood spatter.
"[If] you can interpret the angle that [the blood] hit, you can determine the diameter and the velocity it's traveled," Berryman said. "There is a lot of information embedded in blood."
During the investigation of the crime scene, several students took pictures of the room in case they wanted to revisit certain images.
Students were also working with members of the Forensic Anthropology Search and Recovery Team, who consist of MTSU undergraduate students that assist Berryman on actual crime scenes.
"Students have a role in working crime scenes, and several of the crime scenes we have worked in the last couple of years have been homicide," Berryman said. "I think this program will encourage these students to come to MTSU or some other school and pursue math and science."
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