High School Students Study Mock Crime Scene

On Thursday, June 28, two crime scenes were taped off north of the Davis Street Building, and 25 people were busy collecting information and looking for clues. Those areas were mock crime scenes set up for the 25 high school students attending the University’s CSI Forensic Science Summer Camp June 25-29.

Students attending the residential camp came to Findlay from California, New York, Tennessee and other states, as well as Ohio. Emily Radecki, a senior from South Bend, Ind., said she has had an interest in forensic science since her mother has worked in the field, and she knows the coroner in her hometown. She learned about the University’s camp through an Internet search.

At the beginning of the week, students participated in class lectures followed by laboratory sessions led by UF faculty members. Topics included DNA, forensic chemistry, trace evidence, latent prints, GIS and GPS tracking and more.

By Thursday, students had been introduced to the basic concepts used in analyzing a crime scene. They were divided into teams of five and asked to gather information and apply what they’ve learned during the week. With help from faculty members, students used the Davis Street Building laboratories to perform analyses such as latent print components, toxicology and DNA.

On Friday, each team presented their findings to faculty members who served as judges. A winning team was selected based on the students’ ability to examine, process and analyze the scene according to what they learned at the beginning of the week.

Jessica Joseph, a senior from Toledo, was confident about the challenge because her team was “prepared, motivated and works together as a team.” The summer camp is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors who have had basic math and science courses in high school. A letter of reference from a high school math or science teacher is required as part of the application.

The camp, which allows students to experience a behind-the-scenes look at crime scenes and forensic science, utilizes concepts from biology, chemistry, math and physics.
For additional information, contact Phil Lucas, assistant professor of criminal justice, at lucasp@findlay.edu.