Forensic hair analysis has developed a bad reputation. The technique has relied on traits such as color, thickness, and curvature to link a suspect to a crime scene. But an ongoing reanalysis of old cases by the U.S. Justice Department found that analysts have often overstated their case in the courtroom; several people convicted based on a hair sample were later found to be innocent.
The new Ph.D. program was approved last month and will launch in the fall. At that time, WVU will become the nation’s first university to offer undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees in forensic science.
The WVU Department of Forensic and Investigative Science has taken the lead in forensic
science education once again by developing a new Ph.D. program which was approved
last week by the West Virginia University Board of Governors.
Every few months, professors in the department teach workshops for undergraduate
forensic and investigative science students who are not yet in the program. These
workshops give them an inside look into crime scene investigation and the
field of forensic science. This past month, Robert O’Brien taught the basics of
bullet trajectory and distance determination.
On Wednesday, November 4, twenty-two (22) seniors in the Crime Scene II course
investigated a mock crime from 11 pm - 2 am. This scene modeled a police
involved shooting at the crime scene training complex on the Evansdale campus.
The road behind the complex was blocked off to all traffic for the night to simulate
a real crime scene. University Police also added an aura of realism by
establishing a perimeter around the crime scene and providing a cruiser with
lights activated during the training exercise.
On Saturday, October 24, 14 FIS students and 7 faculty members ventured to the
Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department Range to investigate a simulated bombing
scene.
Roger Jefferys is the recipient of a $2,000 scholarship from The Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE). He is one of two individuals nationally to be awarded an AFTE Scholarship. Roger is a second year graduate student in the MS program and a teaching assistant for crime scene investigation. His research project, under the direction of Dr. Keith Morris, focuses on “Determining Angle of Impact and Distance from the Transfer of Glass onto Bullets.” This scholarship gives Roger the opportunity to explore his research topic in greater depth. Dr. Morris identifies Roger as “an outstanding student with a genuine....
Why did he choose WVU? In 2007, Bob attended a Forensic Management Academy training course and was very impressed with the WVU’s Forensic and Investigative Science program, equipment, and facilities. Eight years later, upon retiring from the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory, he was searching for a second career in teaching. His first impression of the school led him to search out a position in this Department, which he rates among the best in the nation.
We currently have a total of 259 undergraduate students, 82% of whom are non-residents. Students come from 28 states and 2 other countries (Japan and Belize) to study and earn their Bachelor of Science degrees. Nineteen of these students call states west of the Mississippi River home. This wide selection of students attests to the national prominence of the WVU Forensic and Investigative Science Program.
WVU houses the International Association for Identification's research library, the most comprehensive forensics information resource in existence. For more information, visit the IAI Collection home page.
