This is your first written assignment in this course. This assignment will be worth 25% of your final grade and will involve investigating the crime scene shown in the video below. Your submission should be submitted through Canvas, and must be 1250 words (+/- 10%). Read the below assignment briefing and instructions carefully before beginning your assignment. Readings for this assignment are located throughout Module 1 - The Crime Scene.
About the Assignment
You are asked to examine the scene shown in the video footage below, ensuring you read The Incident section above the video.
You must submit a concise report, detailing two pieces of different forensic evidence which you would have recovered from the scene, and a discussion around how and why you would have them recovered.
Your submission should follow a logical structure, and include:
An introduction detailing what two, different pieces of evidence you would have recovered from the scene.
A discussion around how you would direct your team to recover these items and why you have chosen them over others. This should be the main body of your submission and involve a well structured, methodical argument. Your explanation should cite sufficient academic sources and include logical reasoning.
A conclusion which adequately sums up your arguments.
You must submit your assignment by 13th February 2020 at 23:59. Remember that to begin Module 2 you must have submitted this assignment, so make sure you are completing this well ahead of the end of January.
Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=164&v=7nTKLsC5hp0&feature=emb_title
Feedback and grades
Feedback on your assignment and your grade will be released via the Grades item on the left menu approximately 14 days after you submit it.
Referencing
You will be expected to use the Harvard style of referencing for all of the reports in Forensic Studies, including in-text citations and a reference list at the end of your reports. In-text citations will count toward your word count, whilst the reference list will not. Guidance on referencing can be found here
The Incident
On 30th October, Victoria Police were called to a disturbance in a flat at 123 Fake Street at 23:50.
The emergency call to police was made by a neighbour, one Mr. A. Lias.
Mr. Lias told police that he heard his neighbours shouting at around 23:00 followed by the sound of crashing furniture. He said that at around 23:30 he heard -further noises including screaming-, and shortly later his neighbours leaving the flat. At around 23:40, Mr. Lias said he -heard his neighbours driving away in their pickup truck.-
The below footage from the scene was taken at around 06:00 on 31st October.
Homicide squad detectives are on scene and the investigation is ongoing.
Your role at the scene is that of the scene of crime officer (SOCO) on the morning of the investigation, leading the forensic personnel on-site and directing the scene examination. Your commanding officers have instructed you to limit and prioritise evidence recovery as much as possible; budget constraints back at the forensics laboratory are tight at the moment!
The scene was secured by police personnel and has been sketched. Photography of the scene was underway at the time of filming.