Thirty-four students from the WVU FIS program attended this event. Students had
the opportunity to attend workshops and lectures to further their knowledge in
the field of forensic science. Attendance at the conference also provided students
with the opportunity to network with professionals in the field, a skill that
is very important.
This semester, there were two night crime scenes: one for Dr. Keith Morris’ bloodstain
class and the other for Professor Robert O’Brien’s crime scene I class. On Thursday,
April 13th, Professor O’Brien’s crime scene I class was called to the scene of
an assault at 4 am. Sophomore Jennifer Ho comments on the experience saying, “being
called out to the scene at 4 am allows us to not only get the academic portion
of the material but the practical experience as well.”
During recent years, though, problems with some aspects of forensic science have
come to light. Examples include false convictions based on
faulty fire scene and burn pattern analysis and on
bite mark analysis, incorrect fingerprint identification and instances
of
misconduct in forensic labs. Recognizing these shortcoming has led to various
efforts to propel forensic science forward, helping us recognize which parts
of it are scientifically valid, which parts aren’t and where more research must
be done.
“Who you are, where you’ve been, what you eat, what drugs you take — it all shows
up in your hair,” says Glen P. Jackson, Ph.D. “Depending on the question being
asked, the chemical analysis of human hair can provide amazing insights into the
life and lifestyle of a person.”
