CRIME SCENE

INVESTIGATION
Year 8 Civics and Citizenship

Detective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crime scene observations (describe what Evidence listed from crime scene (what
you can see.) evidence can you pick out from the
crime scene?)

OBSERVING THE CRIME SCENE

Draw a sketch of the crime scene. The best angle is usually bird’s eye (from
above).
 http://stem-works.com/external/activity/175

Activity – Handwriting Analysis Column A Column B

Information from the video:

……………………………………………

……………………………………………

……………………………………………

……………………………………………

……………………………………………
Handwriting analysis is often an
important tool in solving crimes.
Practice your handwriting analysis
skills by matching the handwriting
in column A and B. Draw lines
between the matching handwriting.

Evidence Investigation 1 - Handwriting analysis

The note below was found at the scene. Use your skills in handwriting
analysis to determine who the note was from. This places that suspect in the
room around the time of the crime.

Compare the
handwriting on
the note left
and the sample
writing from
each suspect.

HANDWRITING GUIDE
Size of Letters Shape of Letters Style of Writing Pressure of Pen Direction
(small/ medium/ (rounded/ (print/cursive) (soft/ medium/ (sloped left/
large) looped/ wide/ hard) vertical/ sloped
thin) right)

Size of Shape of Style of Pressure Direction

Letters Letters Writing of Pen
Suspect A
Suspect B
Suspect C
Suspect D

In your expert opinion, who do you think wrote the note? ___________________
Evidence Investigation 2 - Chromatography

We are going to test the pens that were on the desk to find out which pen
was used to write the note. Once we find out which pen was used, we can test
the pen for fingerprints! Follow the instructions below.

1. Check your materials. Each group should have:

• 3 cups with water in them
• 3 strips of paper towel, each with pen marks on them
• Timer (phone timers are fine)
• Your record table (below)
2. Place one end of the paper towel in the water, without letting the ink
touch the water.
3. Fold the other end of the paper towel over the rim of the cup.
4. Observe the ink over the duration of the lesson and record your
findings.

Pen A Pen B Pen C Card

Spread of
ink (quick
sketch)

Which
colours
separated
outfrom
black?
Time taken
for colours
to separate

1. What pen do you think was used to write the note left in the classroom?
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Give evidence to support your answer. (What are the similarities between the ink
from the card and the pen you have chosen?)
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Activity – Fingerprint Analysis https://www.nist.gov/node/1203696/take/1

1. Ability to judge the Orientation of a Line

As a fingerprint examiner, one of the first

things you’ll have to do when analysing a print is to use information in the print’s
ridges (line orientation, width, and curvature) to orient the fingerprint in the upright,
or “tip up,” position. This question tests your ability to compare and judge the
orientation of a line.

Instructions:
Select the line whose orientation matches that of the line on the left.

Answer: __________

2. Ability to Perceive Width

To determine if a fingerprint collected as evidence at a crime scene

matches the fingerprint of a known individual, you will need to assess
the width (thickness) of the ridges in both prints. This question tests
your ability to correctly match curved lines based on their width.

Instructions:
Select the line whose line width (thickness) matches the line on the
left.

Answer: __________
3. Ability to Judge Rotations and Conduct Visual Search

You will also need to mentally rotate patterns and conduct visual searches to find features in both the evidence
fingerprint and the known fingerprint to determine if they share common features. This question tests your ability to
mentally rotate and match visual patterns.

Instructions:
Find the image that most closely matches the image on the right.

Answer:_______

4. Ability to Separate Superimposed Images

When working on a case, you might receive an evidence fingerprint with a pattern superimposed
on top of it. For example, if a person touches an item twice, they may leave an area of
overlapping patterns, one superimposed on top of the other. This question tests your ability to
separate overlapping patterns.

Instructions:
Filter out background noise to find the image that most Answer:_____________
closely matches the image on the left.

A B C D
5. Ability to Filter out Background Noise

Sometimes a fingerprint is found on an item that has its own pattern of lines and curves. For instance, if a fingerprint is
found on a twenty-dollar bill, you will need to separate the fingerprint pattern from the background pattern. This
question tests your ability to correctly identify a complex image from a set of alternative images that contain overlaid or
background patterns.

Instructions:
Filter out background noise to find the image that most closely matches the image on the left.

Answer:_____________

6. Ability to Detect if Small Pattern is Present Within Larger Pattern

As a fingerprint examiner, you will look for “target groups”—clusters of features in both the
evidence fingerprint and the known fingerprint—to determine if they share common features.
This question tests your ability to match a small partial image to a larger image that contains it.

Instructions:
Select the image that contains within it the smaller image on the right. Answer:_____________

A B C D
7. Ability to Follow Ridge Lines

As a fingerprint examiner, you will have to trace the ridges of a fingerprint. This question tests your ability to correctly
follow a line in a poor-quality image.

Instructions:
Trace the line that begins at position D to determine where it ends.
Evidence Investigation 3 - Fingerprint Classification

The fingerprint below was found on the pen used to write the note and cover
of the iPad, which the thief would have had to remove before taking the
iPad.
1. What would you classify this fingerprint as? Arch / Loop / Whorl

2. What features of the fingerprint help

you to identify the type?

______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________

3. Compare this print with the suspects’

prints in your evidence booklet. In
your expert opinion, whose print is it
likely to be? How do you know? Is there
more than one possibility? Why?
Print found at crime scene
______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

4. Is the owner of the fingerprint the same suspect as the handwriting

match? What could this mean?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Evidence Investigation 4 – Farewell Party Invite

The invite to Mr. Drake suggests that he was in the classroom around the
time of the crime. However, there are accounts of him being at the party for
the whole time.

Analyse this evidence and add it to your evidence log.

Evidence Investigation 5 - Mysterious Powder – Testing
Complete the following table as you test each powder. Follow your teacher’s
instructions carefully so as not to tamper with the evidence.

Crime Scene Powder A Powder B Powder C Powder D

Powder
Size of
grains

Shiny or
dull

Colour

Smell

Feel

Reaction
to water

Reaction
to vinegar

Mysterious Powder – Testing

1. Which powder has the most similarities with the powder from the crime scene?

_______________________________________________________________________________
2. From this evidence, which suspect can we confirm was in the room around the time
of the crime?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. The mystery powder found in the classroom was found with a barefoot footprint in
it. Read through the suspect statements – who could this footprint belong to?
4. Add the information from the powder testing and the footprint into your Evidence
Log.

Evidence Investigation 6 – Suspect Statements and Alibis

Read through the suspect statements and add information to your evidence
log. Try to pick out who looks guilty for trying to make another suspect
look guilty..
Evidence Log

Suspect A – Mrs. Smith

Evidence suggesting suspect A Evidence suggesting suspect A did
committed the crime NOT commit the crime

Suspect B – Mr. Jackson

Evidence suggesting suspect B Evidence suggesting suspect B did
committed the crime NOT commit the crime

Suspect C – Miss Pearce

Evidence suggesting suspect C Evidence suggesting suspect C did
committed the crime NOT commit the crime

Suspect D – Mr. Drake

Evidence suggesting suspect D Evidence suggesting suspect D did
committed the crime NOT commit the crime
Conclusions

1. Identify the motive of each of the suspects. (Why would they commit the crime?)

Suspect A: _____________________________________________________________

Suspect B: _____________________________________________________________

Suspect C: _____________________________________________________________

Suspect D: _____________________________________________________________

2. In your opinion, what is the most compelling piece of evidence against a

suspect in the entire case? ____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3. Look at your evidence log. What evidence is there that exempts suspects

from being a suspect? (For example, strong alibis / no motive).

________________________________________________________________________

4. If any one of the suspects were to go on trial for the crime, which one do you

think is the culprit? _________________________________________________________

5. Give your reasons for choosing this suspect as the culprit.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

6. Is there any evidence that could exonerate (clear) this suspect?

________________________________________________________________________________

7. As a Crime Scene Investigator, your final professional opinion is that the

following suspect committed the crime:

_____________________________________